peter
1 of 3verb
pe·ter ˈpē-tər 
petered; petering; peters
intransitive verb
1
: to diminish gradually and come to an end : give out —usually used with out
novelists whose creative impetus seems largely to have petered out — The Times Literary Supplement (London)
2
: to become exhausted —usually used with out
peter
2 of 3noun (1)
often vulgar
: penis
Peter
3 of 3noun (2)
Pe·ter ˈpē-tər
1
: a fisherman of Galilee and one of the twelve apostles
2
: either of two hortatory letters written to early Christians and included as books of the New Testament see Bible Table
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
John H. Cochrane, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2022 And although the downsides of obstetric anesthesia have largely fallen away in the 175 years since its first use, the desire among some women to experience labor in all its brutality has yet to fully peter out, and perhaps never will. Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2022 Tomatoes and most garden vegetables are heavy feeders, and after the initial burst of spring growth in fresh soil and compost, their productivity can peter out in midsummer. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 21 July 2022 European short-term car sales forecasts are being slashed because of China’s economic problems and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while investors worry that by the time supply chain horrors have subsided, underlying demand growth might peter out. Neil Winton, Forbes, 24 June 2022 Certainly, the prospect of driving around, looking for a charging station, failing to find an available one and maybe just having your car peter out on Flatbush Avenue was not motivating. Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2022 While his tenure would eventually peter out, promoting assistant coach Larry Coker as the replacement for Butch Davis following the 2000 season was the perfect decision for a team that responded to his grandfatherly approach. Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2022 The hurricane impact will peter out and even though shortages continue to hamstring various parts of the economy, the recovery is coming along steadily. Anneken Tappe, CNN, 18 Oct. 2021 Their differing responses reflect differences in views about whether the pickup in prices will feed further cycles of inflation or will instead peter out. Paul Hannon, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2021 See More
Verb
Even if the Fed does nothing, so long as there are no more shocks, inflation will eventually peter out. John H. Cochrane, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2022 And although the downsides of obstetric anesthesia have largely fallen away in the 175 years since its first use, the desire among some women to experience labor in all its brutality has yet to fully peter out, and perhaps never will. Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2022 Tomatoes and most garden vegetables are heavy feeders, and after the initial burst of spring growth in fresh soil and compost, their productivity can peter out in midsummer. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 21 July 2022 European short-term car sales forecasts are being slashed because of China’s economic problems and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while investors worry that by the time supply chain horrors have subsided, underlying demand growth might peter out. Neil Winton, Forbes, 24 June 2022 Certainly, the prospect of driving around, looking for a charging station, failing to find an available one and maybe just having your car peter out on Flatbush Avenue was not motivating. Ginia Bellafante, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2022 While his tenure would eventually peter out, promoting assistant coach Larry Coker as the replacement for Butch Davis following the 2000 season was the perfect decision for a team that responded to his grandfatherly approach. Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2022 The hurricane impact will peter out and even though shortages continue to hamstring various parts of the economy, the recovery is coming along steadily. Anneken Tappe, CNN, 18 Oct. 2021 Their differing responses reflect differences in views about whether the pickup in prices will feed further cycles of inflation or will instead peter out. Paul Hannon, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
origin unknown
Noun (1)
from the name Peter
Noun (2)
Late Latin Petrus, from Greek Petros, from petra rock
First Known Use
Verb
1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (1)
circa 1902, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing peter
Biographical Definition
Peter
biographical name
Pe·ter ˈpē-tər
circa 1050–1115 the Hermit French preacher of the 1st Crusade