Languishing

Languishing
Languish Lan"guish, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Languished}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Languishing}.] [OE. languishen, languissen, F. languir, L. languere; cf. Gr. ? to slacken, ? slack, Icel. lakra to lag behind; prob. akin to E. lag, lax, and perh. to E. slack. See {-ish}.] 1. To become languid or weak; to lose strength or animation; to be or become dull, feeble or spiritless; to pine away; to linger in a weak or deteriorating condition; to wither or fade. [1913 Webster]

We . . . do languish of such diseases. --2 Esdras viii. 31. [1913 Webster]

Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife, And let me languish into life. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

For the fields of Heshbon languish. --Is. xvi. 8. [1913 Webster]

2. To assume an expression of weariness or tender grief, appealing for sympathy. --Tennyson.

3. To be neglected and unattended to; as, the proposal languished on the director's desk for months. [PJC]

Syn: To pine; wither; fade; droop; faint. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Languishing — Lan guish*ing, a. 1. Becoming languid and weak; pining; losing health and strength. [1913 Webster] 2. Amorously pensive; indicating melancholy; as, languishing eyes, or look. [1913 Webster] 3. Suffering neglect; neglected. [PJC] 4. Continuing in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • languishing — index disconsolate, powerless Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • languishing — *languid, languorous, lackadaisical, listless, spiritless, enervated Analogous words: weakened, enfeebled, debilitated (see WEAKEN): indolent, faineant (see LAZY): inert, *inactive, supine: *sentimental, romantic: pining, longing, yearning (see… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • languishing — [laŋ′gwish iŋ] adj. that languishes; specif., a) becoming weak; drooping b) lingering c) slow; not intense d) pining; longing e) tender; sentimental languishingly adv …   English World dictionary

  • languishing — adjective Etymology: Middle English, from present participle of languishen to languish 1. a. : losing health and strength could not rouse him from his languishing state b. : lingering …   Useful english dictionary

  • languishing — languishingly, adv. /lang gwi shing/, adj. 1. becoming languid, in any way. 2. expressive of languor; indicating tender, sentimental melancholy: a languishing sigh. 3. lingering: a languishing death. [1300 50; ME; see LANGUISH, ING2] * * * …   Universalium

  • languishing — /ˈlæŋgwɪʃɪŋ/ (say langgwishing) adjective 1. becoming languid, in any way. 2. lingering: a languishing death. 3. expressive of languor; indicating tender, sentimental melancholy: a languishing sigh. –languishingly, adverb …  

  • languishing — lan·guish·ing || læŋgwɪʃɪŋ adj. languid; weak, drooping; pining, yearning; melancholic lan·guish || læŋgwɪʃ n. act of languishing; melancholy gaze, yearning look v. weaken, droop, wither; suffer neglect, suffer hardship; pine away,… …   English contemporary dictionary

  • languishing — adjective lacking of vigor or spirit …   Wiktionary

  • languishing — Synonyms and related words: Heimweh, aching, adoring, affectionate, bowed down, cachectic, cachexia, cachexy, cast down, chronic ill health, coming apart, conjugal, contractive, cracking, crumbling, dashed, debilitated, debilitation, debility,… …   Moby Thesaurus

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