• Languish

    Pronunciation

    • UK IPA: /ˈlæŋ.É¡wɪʃ/
    • US IPA: /ˈleɪŋ.É¡wɪʃ/
    • Rhymes: -æŋɡwɪʃ

    Origin

    From the participle stem of Anglo-Norman and Middle French languir, from Late Latin languire, alteration of Latin languēre ("to be faint, unwell"). Compare languor.

    Full definition of languish

    Verb

    1. (intransitive) To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness. from 14th c.
      • Bible, 2 Esdras viii. 31We ... do languish of such diseases.
    2. (intransitive) To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness. from 14th c.He languished without his girlfriend
    3. (intransitive) To live in miserable or disheartening conditions. from 15th c.He languished in prison for years
    4. (intransitive) To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful. from 17th c.The case languished for years before coming to trial.
    5. (transitive, obsolete) To make weak; to weaken, devastate. 15th-17th c.
    6. (intransitive, now rare) To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously. from 18th c.
      • 1815, Jane Austen, EmmaHe is an excellent young man, and will suit Harriet exactly: it will be an "exactly so," as he says himself; but he does sigh and languish, and study for compliments rather more than I could endure as a principal.
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