peter out
verb
- dwindle to nothing
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌpiːtəɹ‿ˈaʊt/ / /ˌpitɚ‿ˈaʊt/ / [-ɾɚ-]
verb
Etymology: From peter (“diminish to nothing”, intransitive verb) + out. First attested in the mid-1800s.
- Synonym of peter (“to diminish to nothing, (originally) to refer to a vein of ore”).
“What started as a great effort ended up petering out to nothing.”
“Q. Do you think, Doctor, that it is possible for that south strand to likewise peter out and disappear?”