shrivelled Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb wither, as with a loss of moisture
    wither; shrivel; shrink; shrivel up.
    • The fruit dried and shriveled
  2. verb decrease in size, range, or extent
    shrivel; shrink.
    • His earnings shrank
    • My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me
  3. adjective satellite (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
    withered; sear; shriveled; sere; dried-up.
    • dried-up grass
    • the desert was edged with sere vegetation
    • shriveled leaves on the unwatered seedlings
    • withered vines
  4. adjective satellite lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
    withered; shriveled; wizen; wizened; shrunken.
    • the old woman's shriveled skin
    • he looked shriveled and ill
    • a shrunken old man
    • a lanky scarecrow of a man with withered face and lantern jaws"-W.F.Starkie
    • he did well despite his withered arm
    • a wizened little man with frizzy grey hair
  5. adjective satellite reduced in efficacy or vitality or intensity
    shriveled; shrunken.
    • our shriveled receipts during the storm
    • as the project wore on she found her enthusiasm shriveled
    • the dollar's shrunken buying power

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