languish (ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ
)
Definitions
verb (intr)
- to lose or diminish in strength or energy
- (often foll by for) to be listless with desire; pine
- to suffer deprivation, hardship, or neglect ⇒
to languish in prison
- to put on a tender, nostalgic, or melancholic expression
Alternative Forms
ˈlanguishing adjective ˈlanguishingly adverb ˈlanguishment nounWord Origin
C14 languishen, from Old French languiss-, stem of languir, ultimately from Latin languēreUsage examples
As you see, still I languish here, and tomorrow morning I am due to be hanged upon Tower Hill.
, THE RIVAL QUEENS: A Countess Ashby de la Zouche Mystery (2002)Then let the company languish out on a limb as its profits and promoter options dry up.
Business Today (2002)Always independent, she had no wish to languish at home or to be parked in a long-term care facility.
Globe and Mail (2003)Be prepared to switch funds regularly, rather than allowing money to languish in dud funds.
Times, Sunday Times (2002)In April 1956 Dulles and Eden agreed to let the Aswan loan negotiations languish.
, The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)