[a. Fr. ennui, OF. enui:—L. in odio: see ANNOY, ENNOY, which are older adoptions of the same Fr. word.
So far as frequency of use is concerned, the word might be regarded as fully naturalized; but the pronunciation has not been anglicized, there being in fact no Eng. analogy which could serve as a guide.]
The feeling of mental weariness and dissatisfaction produced by want of occupation, or by lack of interest in present surroundings or employments.
[1667. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 161. We have hardly any words that do so fully express the French clinquant, naïveté, ennui, bizarre, [etc.].
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., II. § 17. They should prefer doing anything to the enuni of their own conversation.]
1758. Chesterf., Lett., IV. 117. In less than a month the man, used to business, found that living like a gentleman was dying of ennui.
1769. Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, II. 388. Muse! prepare some sprightly sallies To divert ennui at Calais.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Angelina, i. (1832), 10. She felt insupportable ennui from the want of books and conversation suited to her taste.
1871. Darwin, Desc. Man, I. ii. 42. Animals manifestly enjoy excitement and suffer from ennui.
b. Personified. c. concr. A cause of ennui.
1790. Cath. M. Graham, Lett. Educ., 181. It [benevolence] would entirely subdue the dæmon Ennui.
1812. H. & J. Smith, Rej. Addr., Cui Bono, i. The fiend Ennui awhile consents to pine.
1847. W. E. Forster, in T. W. Reid, Life (1888), I. vii. 208. We drove to a first-class hotel in the Crescent—a stylish, comfortless temple of ennui.
1849. C. Brontë, Shirley, I. vi. 151. Every stitch she put in was an ennui.
