🥀 wither on the vine
Concrete Meaning
To fail, be forgotten, or be abandoned before being fully developed, funded, or utilized.
💬 Context & Examples
Used in business or politics when a project, proposal, or idea is neglected and slowly dies out from lack of support.
- "Without proper funding from the board, the new research initiative will just wither on the vine."
- "The housing bill was introduced in congress, but it was ignored and allowed to wither on the vine."
🧠 Pattern Challenge
Test Yourself
What happens to grapes or tomatoes if they are never picked by the farmer?
Show Answer
They dry up, rot, and die right on the plant without ever being used. Metaphorically, a good idea is wasted because nobody took action to harvest it.