To survive or come through a difficult situation, or to change due to exposure to sun, rain, and wind.
From Old English 'weder' meaning 'air' and 'storm.' Originally referred to the natural forces of rain and wind, then evolved metaphorically to mean 'enduring hardship' like nature weathers away at rock.
The word perfectly captures how nature slowly transforms things—weathered wood, weathered faces—and we borrowed that image to describe people surviving tough times by gradually adapting.
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