LANGUISH • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Languish

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/lˈæŋgwɪʃ/ Listen

verb

Languish v. i. (past & past part. languished; pres. part. languishing)

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. "We... do languish of such diseases." "Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife, And let me languish into life." "For the fields of Heshbon languish."

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

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

Synonyms: To pine; wither; fade; droop; faint.

Languish v. i. To cause to droop or pine. (Obs.)

noun

Languish n. See Languishment. (Obs. or Poetic) "What, of death, too, That rids our dogs of languish?" "And the blue languish of soft Allia's eye."

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Etymology of 'Languish'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Languish" Quotes from Famous Books

... harmony as far as consists with freedom of sentiment its dignity may be lost. But as the legislative proceedings of the United States will never, I trust, be reproached for the want of temper or of candor, so shall not the public happiness languish from the want of my strenuous and ...

— State of the Union Addresses of George Washington • George Washington

... is a varied journey And most of its ways are queer, But those who laugh through its work and wonder Will find that it holds good cheer; And whether we laugh or languish And whether we sigh or sing, I am sure that still There is good for ill And the flash ...

— Oklahoma Sunshine • Freeman E. (Freeman Edwin) Miller

... up, without some decisive effort on the part of France. With such an exertion as that of sending a superior fleet to America, we see nothing in the course of human affairs, that can possibly prevent France from obtaining such a naval superiority without delay. Without it the war may languish for years, to the infinite distress of our country, to the exhausting both of France and England, and the question left to be decided ...

— The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. I • Various

... it alone, if they wished to starve! Just the 'freedom' which the slave has. If he does not mind being whipped, there is nothing to compel him to work for his master. The bonds in which the 'free' masses of the exploiting society languish are tighter and more painful than the chains of the slave. The word 'robbery' does not please the previous speaker? It is, indeed, a hard and hateful word; but the 'robber' is not the individual exploiter, but the exploiting society, and this was formerly, in the bitter need ...

— Freeland - A Social Anticipation • Theodor Hertzka

... that loves greatly, lists often to sing of his love, for joy that he or she has when they think on that they love, specially if their love be true and loving. And this is the English of these two words: "I languish for love." Separate men on earth have separate gifts and graces of GOD, but the special gift of those who lead the solitary life, is for to love JESUS Christ. Thou sayest to me, 'All men love Him who keep His commandments.' That is Truth. But all men who keep His bidding keep ...

— The Form of Perfect Living and Other Prose Treatises • Richard Rolle of Hampole

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