languish
To lose strength and become weakTo lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.
Recorded UK: Speaker: Vealhurl Recorder: Vealhurl, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
» Sami was languishing in jail, awaiting his trial.
Сами томился в тюрьме, ожидая суда. — mytmpacc2015
OsoHombre · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
6 senses(intransitive)To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.
ermatten, erschlaffen, siechen
ча́хнутьčáxnutʹ, увяда́тьuvjadátʹ, слабе́тьslabétʹ
скні́тиskníty
(intransitive)To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness.
He languished without his girlfriend.
schmachten, sehnen, sich verzehren
тоскова́тьtoskovátʹ, изныва́тьiznyvátʹ
(intransitive)To live in miserable or disheartening conditions.
He languished in prison for years.
dahinsiechen, schmachten
томи́тьсяtomítʹsja, прозяба́тьprozjabátʹ, влачи́ть жа́лкое существова́ниеvlačítʹ žálkoje suščestvovánije
скні́тиskníty
(intransitive)To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful.
The case languished for years before coming to trial.
тяну́тьсяtjanútʹsja
скні́тиskníty
(obsolete, transitive)To make weak; to weaken, devastate.
(archaic, intransitive)To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously.
- become feeble
- lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
- have a desire for something or someone who is not present
Examples
21 sentencesSami was languishing in jail, awaiting his trial.
ruСами томился в тюрьме, ожидая суда. — mytmpacc2015
He left his brother to languish behind bars.
He left his friend to languish behind bars.
He left his girlfriend to languish behind bars.
She left her boyfriend to languish behind bars.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 4
By meaning 3
Origin
From Middle English languysshen, from the present participle stem of Anglo-Norman and MiddFrom Middle English languysshen, from the present participle stem of Anglo-Norman and Middle French languir, from Late Latin languīre, alteration of Latin languēre (“to be faint, unwell”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
languishes, languishing, languished, languished| Base form | languish · to languish |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | languishes |
| Present participle | languishing |
| Past simple | languished |
| Past participle | languished |
regular · Lesson
Synonyms
8 synonymsWord family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.