Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [lang-gwish]
- /ˈlæŋ gwɪʃ/
- /ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪʃ/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
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- [lang-gwish]
- /ˈlæŋ gwɪʃ/
Definitions of languish word
- verb without object languish to be or become weak or feeble; droop; fade. 1
- verb without object languish to lose vigor and vitality. 1
- verb without object languish to undergo neglect or experience prolonged inactivity; suffer hardship and distress: to languish in prison for ten years. 1
- verb without object languish to be subjected to delay or disregard; be ignored: a petition that languished on the warden's desk for a year. 1
- verb without object languish to pine with desire or longing. 1
- verb without object languish to assume an expression of tender, sentimental melancholy. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of languish
First appearance:
before 1250 One of the 11% oldest English words
1250-1300; Middle English < Middle French languiss-, long stem of languir ≪ Latin languēre to languish; akin to laxus lax; see -ish2
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Languish
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
languish popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 79% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
languish usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for languish
verb languish
- dwindle — to become smaller and smaller; shrink; waste away: His vast fortune has dwindled away.
- faint — lacking brightness, vividness, clearness, loudness, strength, etc.: a faint light; a faint color; a faint sound.
- wither — to shrivel; fade; decay: The grapes had withered on the vine.
- deteriorate — If something deteriorates, it becomes worse in some way.
- fail — to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved: The experiment failed because of poor planning.
Antonyms for languish
verb languish
- grow — to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
- increase — to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to increase taxes.
- dislike — to regard with displeasure, antipathy, or aversion: I dislike working. I dislike oysters.
- hate — to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest: to hate the enemy; to hate bigotry.
- despise — If you despise something or someone, you dislike them and have a very low opinion of them.
Top questions with languish
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with l
- Words starting with la
- Words starting with lan
- Words starting with lang
- Words starting with langu
- Words starting with langui
- Words starting with languis
- Words starting with languish