I.v. n. inch. [areo], to become dry.
I. Lit.: “dum mea (vestimenta) arescunt,” Plaut. Rud. 2, 7, 17: “fluvius arescat,” Vulg. Job, 14, 11: “arescat aqua de mari,” ib. Isa. 19, 5: “arescente undā,” Tac. A. 13, 57: “quasi faenum, ita arescet,” Vulg. Isa. 51, 12.—Of tears: “cito arescit lacrima, praesertim in alienis malis,” Cic. Part. Or. 17; so id. Inv. 1, 56 fin.—
II. Trop., to languish.
A. Of plants, to dry up, wither: nullo modo facilius arbitror posse herbas arescere et interfici, to dry up, Cic. Oecon. ap. Non. p. 450, 1; so Plin. 8, 38, 57, § 137: “truncus (arboris),” Tac. A. 13, 58: “vitis,” Vulg. Ezech. 17, 9; 17, 10: “palmes,” ib. Joan. 15, 6: manus (branch), ib. Job, 15, 32.—
B. Of persons (eccl. Lat.), to pine away in sickness: “(filius meus) stridet dentibus et arescit,” Vulg. Marc. 9, 17.—So, to sink, be overcome, with fear: “arescentibus hominibus prae timore,” Luc. 21, 26.