peter
UK[ˈpiːtə]US[ˈpiːtər]
v
To gradually become smaller, weaker, or less active and then stop.
Etymology
The verb 'to peter out' emerged in 19th-century American mining slang. It is believed to be a direct allusion to the Apostle Peter, whose biblical narrative features a moment of initial fervor followed by a notable decline or failure, specifically his three denials of Jesus. The metaphorical extension from a person's name to the concept of dwindling or exhausting a resource reflects a common pattern in language where a salient characteristic becomes abstracted into a verb. Thus, the logic moves from a specific story of diminishment to a general expression for anything that gradually loses force or quantity.
Analysis
The word 'peter' as a verb is a simplex. It is not formed from smaller, meaningful morphemes within the modern English spelling. Its origin is the given name Peter.
Examples
The heavy rain eventually petered out into a light drizzle.
Their initial enthusiasm for the project began to peter out after the first few setbacks.
The old mining trail peters out before it reaches the summit.