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peter

Intransitive Verb
pl: nullpast: peteredpp: petereding: peteringcomp: nullsup: null

This term carries a specific sense of fading away rather than a sudden stop. It evokes the image of a flickering flame or a dying echo, where the energy slowly drains until nothing remains. It is frequently used to describe sounds, conversations, or emotional momentum. In a social or professional context, it often implies a lack of stamina or a failure to maintain interest. When a project or a relationship peters out, it suggests a slow decline into insignificance rather than a dramatic breakup or a decisive cancellation.

💬Conversación Casual

🎬David's home office, late afternoon, trying to finish work.
Eleanor Smith

DID THAT NEW APP PROJECT FINISH?

Eleanor Smith
David Smith
David Smith

Nah, it started to peter out a few weeks ago. Too much red tape.

💡
Eleanor, David's technologically illiterate mother, is asking about a work project. David responds using the phrasal verb 'peter out', meaning to diminish gradually and come to an end, implying the project lost momentum and failed. He attributes this to 'red tape', an idiom referring to excessive bureaucracy or rigid conformity to formal rules.

Meanings

Intransitive Verb
[doing]

To diminish gradually in strength, intensity, or volume until disappearing completely.

"The sound of the rain began to peter out by noon."

Last Updated: May 26, 2026Report an Error