Wither, v. t.
1. To cause to fade, and become dry. The sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth. James i. 11.
2. To cause to shrink, wrinkle, or decay, for want of animal moisture. "Age can not wither her." Shak. Shot forth pernicious fire Among the accursed, that withered all their strength. Milton.
3. To cause to languish, perish, or pass away; to blight; as, a reputation withered by calumny. The passions and the cares that wither life. Bryant.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Wither, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Withered; p. pr. & vb. n. Withering.]
1. To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become sapless; to dry or shrivel up. Shall he hot pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither Ezek. xvii. 9.
2. To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pin This is man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered. Shak. There was a man which had his hand withered. Matt. xii. 10. Now warm in love, now with'ring in the grave. Dryden.
3. To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away. "Names that must not wither." Byron. States thrive or wither as moons wax and wane. Cowper.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for wither; he lists it under die.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.