Library / English Dictionary

WILT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing to become limp or drooping

Synonyms:

wilt; wilting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("wilt" is a kind of...):

weakening (the act of reducing the strength of something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any plant disease characterized by drooping and shriveling; usually caused by parasites attacking the roots

Synonyms:

wilt; wilt disease

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("wilt" is a kind of...):

plant disease (a disease that affects plants)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wilt"):

granville wilt (a bacterial wilt of tobacco plants)

fusarium wilt (wilt caused by fungi of the genus Fusarium)

verticilliosis (wilt caused by fungi of the genus Verticillium)

Derivation:

wilt (become limp)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become limp

Example:

The flowers wilted

Synonyms:

droop; wilt

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "wilt" is one way to...):

crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

wilt (any plant disease characterized by drooping and shriveling; usually caused by parasites attacking the roots)

wilted ((of plants) limp due to heat, loss of water, or disease)

wilting (causing to become limp or drooping)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lose strength

Example:

My opponent was wilting

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "wilt" is one way to...):

weaken (become weaker)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Credits

 Context examples: 

Recent developments in genetic modification (GM) technology include a way to prevent the popular Cavendish banana variety from being wiped out by the Fusarium wilt fungus.

(GM tech expands with more crops to more countries, SciDev.Net)

They were known as chechaquos, and they always wilted at the application of the name.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

“How many cows wilt buy my mother, if I set thee free?”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Her revolt faded away, her spirit wilting down into her tired flesh.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Fear began to grow on Messner. He felt himself wilting under the lightly laid hand.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

He had gripped me by the biceps with his single hand, and when that grip tightened I wilted and shrieked aloud.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Then the other answered, as if very unwillingly, A little space I may allow thee to sit here, if thou wilt reward me well and entreat me kindly; but thou must tarry yet an hour below, till I have learnt some little matters that are yet unknown to me.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Once he gained his feet, but his legs were too weak to sustain him, and he slowly wilted and sank back into the snow.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

What say you, woodman: wilt leave the bucks to loose a shaft at a nobler mark?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Another week passed, a great battle that continued under the electric lights each night and that culminated on Saturday afternoon at three o'clock, when Joe tasted his moment of wilted triumph and then drifted down to the village to forget.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)