welk \ˈwelk\intransitive verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English welken, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old High German irwelkēn to welk, irwelhēn to become soft, wolkan cloud 1.dialect chiefly England: to lose freshness or greenness : dry up : fade, wilt, wither 2.obsolete: to become less (as in power or brightness) : wane