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Wreck vs Wither - What's the difference?

wreck | wither | Related terms |

Wreck is a related term of wither.


As verbs the difference between wreck and wither

is that wreck is to destroy violently; to cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless while wither is (obsolete) to go against, resist; oppose or wither can be to shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.

As a noun wreck

is something or someone that has been ruined.

As an adverb wither is

(obsolete|or|chiefly in compounds) against, in opposition to.

wreck

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Something or someone that has been ruined.
    • He was an emotional wreck after the death of his wife.
  • The remains of something that has been severely damaged or worn down.
  • * Cowper
    • To the fair haven of my native home, / The wreck of what I was, fatigued I come.
  • An event in which something is damaged through collision.
  • * Addison
    • the wreck of matter and the crush of worlds
  • * Spenser
    • Hard and obstinate / As is a rock amidst the raging floods, / 'Gainst which a ship, of succour desolate, / Doth suffer wreck , both of herself and goods.
  • * J. R. Green
    • Its intellectual life was thus able to go on amidst the wreck of its political life.
  • (legal) Goods, etc. cast ashore by the sea after a shipwreck.
    • (Bouvier)

    Synonyms

    * crash * ruins

    Derived terms

    * shipwreck

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To destroy violently; to cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless.
    • He wrecked the car in a collision.
    That adulterous hussy wrecked my marriage!
  • * Shakespeare
    • Supposing that they saw the king's ship wrecked .
  • To ruin or dilapidate.
  • (Australia) To dismantle wrecked vehicles or other objects, to reclaim any useful parts.
  • To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.
  • * Daniel
    • Weak and envied, if they should conspire, / They wreck themselves.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * build * construct * make * produce

    Derived terms

    * bewreck * wrecker * wreckage

    References

    wither

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete, or, chiefly in compounds) Against, in opposition to.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To go against, resist; oppose.

    • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) (m), .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To shrivel, droop or dry up, especially from lack of water.
  • To cause to shrivel or dry up.
  • * Bible, Matthew xii. 10
    • There was a man which had his hand withered .
  • * Shakespeare
    • This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered .
  • * Dryden
    • now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave
  • (figurative) To lose vigour or power; to languish; to pass away.
  • * Byron
    • names that must not wither
  • * Cowper
    • States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane.
  • To become helpless due to emotion.
  • To make helpless due to emotion.
    • Usage notes
    * Not to be confused with whither .

    Anagrams

    * whiter, writhe