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Two definitions from the AOL Online Dictionary and an entry from The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition. 2000. Notice the dates of appearance as well as the dates of Peter the Great's birth and death. Since there is such a time span between all of these, it is unlikely that the origin of the phrase "petered out" had anything to do with the other two. So who knows? Carrie ********************************************************************** pe*ter [1] (verb intransitive) [origin unknown] First appeared 1846 1 : to diminish gradually and come to an end : GIVE OUT -- usu. used with out <novelists whose creative impetus seems largely to have ~ed out --Times Lit. Supp.> 2 : to become exhausted -- usu. used with out ********************************************************************** peter [2] (noun) [from the name Peter] First appeared circa 1902 : PENIS -- often considered vulgar ********************************************************************** The Columbia Encyclopedia: Sixth Edition. 2000. Peter I, czar of Russia or Peter the Great,1672–1725, czar of Russia (1682–1725), major figure in the development of imperial Russia.