different between languid vs languish

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?læ?.?w?d/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin languidus (“faint, weak, dull, sluggish, languid”).

Adjective

languid (comparative more languid, superlative most languid)

1. Lacking enthusiasm, energy, or strength; drooping or flagging from weakness, fatigue, or lack of energy
   • March 10 1753, (attributed to) Samuel Johnson, The Adventurer

     As love without esteem is capricious and volatile; esteem without love is languid and cold.

   • 23 March 1816, Jane Austen, letter to Fanny

     I was languid and dull and very bad company when I wrote the above; I am better now, to my own feelings at least, and wish I may be more agreeable.

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 21:

     George had an air at once swaggering and melancholy, languid and fierce.

2. Heavy; dull; dragging; wanting spirit or animation; listless; apathetic.

Synonyms

• exhausted
• faint
• listless
• swear/sweer
• weak
• weary

Derived terms

• languidly

Related terms

• languish
• languor
• languorous

Translations

Etymology 2

Alteration of languet.

Noun

languid (plural languids)

1. A languet in an organ (musical instrument).
   • 1913, Standard Organ Building, page 150:

     As may be required, a small hole is bored in either of the languids, or in the back of the pipe in the space between the two languids. By this means, in addition to the current of air passing between the languids and the lower lip, […]

References

• languid in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Gauldin, dualing, lauding

English

Etymology

From Middle English languysshen, from the present participle stem of Anglo-Norman and Middle French languir, from Late Latin *languire, alteration of Latin langu?re (“to be faint, unwell”).

Compare languor and lax.

Cognate with slack.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?læ?.?w??/
• Rhymes: -æ??w??

Verb

languish (third-person singular simple present languishes, present participle languishing, simple past and past participle languished)

1. (intransitive) To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness. [from 14th c.]

   • We […] do languish of such diseases.

2. (intransitive) To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness. [from 14th c.]

   He languished without his girlfriend

3. (intransitive) To live in miserable or disheartening conditions. [from 15th c.]

   He languished in prison for years

4. (intransitive) To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful. [from 17th c.]

   The case languished for years before coming to trial.

5. (transitive, obsolete) To make weak; to weaken, devastate. [15th-17th c.]
6. (intransitive, now rare) To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously. [from 18th c.]

Related terms

• languid
• languor
• languorous

Translations

Anagrams

• haulings, haulsing, nilghaus