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Antonyms for peter out

Grammar : Verb
Spell : pee-ter
Phonetic Transcription : ˈpi tər

Definition of peter out

Origin :
  • masc. proper name, 12c., from Old English Petrus (genitive Pet(e)res, dative Pet(e)re), from Latin Petrus, from Greek Petros, literally "stone, rock," translation of Syriac kefa "stone" (Latinized as Cephas), nickname Jesus gave to apostle Simon Bar-Jona (Matt. xvi:17), historically known as St. Peter, and consequently a popular name among Christians (e.g. Italian Pietro, Spanish and Portuguese Pedro, Old French Pierres, French Pierre, etc.). Slang for "penis" is attested from 1902, probably from identity of first syllable.
  • The common form of this very common name in medieval England was Peres (Anglo-French Piers), hence surnames Pierce, Pearson, etc. Among the diminutive forms were Parkin and Perkin. To rob Peter to pay Paul (1510s, also in early 17c. French as descouvrir S. Pierre pour couvrir S. Pol) might be a reference to the many churches dedicated to those two saints, and have sprung from the fairly common practice of building or enriching one church with the ruins or revenues of another. But the alliterative pairing of the two names is attested from c.1400 with no obvious connection to the saints:
  • Sum medicyne is for peter þat is not good for poul, for þe diuersite of complexioun. [Lanfranc's "Chirurgia Magna," English translation]
  • verb dwindle, decrease
Example sentences :
  • I should be sorry to see the poem "peter out," or "soak in."
  • Extract from : « The Letters of Ambrose Bierce » by Ambrose Bierce
  • She's a rich one, and bein' so rich at the start she'll peter out fast, I take it.
  • Extract from : « Overland Red » by Henry Herbert Knibbs
  • "Going to peter out I reckon," Abe answered with a sorrowful look.
  • Extract from : « A Man for the Ages » by Irving Bacheller
  • Even rejoicings can get overfed and peter out into ginger tea.
  • Extract from : « Rose of Old Harpeth » by Maria Thompson Daviess
  • They might, indeed, "peter out" as the expression is, but it did not seem likely.
  • Extract from : « Do and Dare » by Horatio Alger, Jr.
  • I suspicioned he'd peter out when Pap Spooner died, but he fooled us the worst kind.
  • Extract from : « Bunch Grass » by Horace Annesley Vachell
  • I wouldn't be a whole lot surprised if they give us an awful fight before they peter out.
  • Extract from : « Hopalong Cassidy » by Clarence E. Mulford
  • Before Christmas, though, she began to peter out 'n' git slack-twisted.
  • Extract from : « The Village Watch-Tower » by (AKA Kate Douglas Riggs) Kate Douglas Wiggin
  • Then all I hope is the storm will peter out before dawn, so we can start for the river right away.
  • Extract from : « The Pioneer Boys of the Columbia » by Harrison Adams
  • You've had water three times to our once, and yet you go to work and peter out with Chuckwalla Tanks only five miles away.
  • Extract from : « The Long Chance » by Peter B. Kyne

Synonyms for peter out

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019