Forms: 4 languis, -uysce, 4–5 -uess(e, -uysh(e, -uysch(e, -wiss(e, -wys(se, -wisch(e, -wis(s)h(e, -usch(e, -ussh(e, 4–6 -uiss(e, -uissh(e, (6 language), 4– languish. [a. F. languiss-, languir, = Pr., Sp., Pg. languir, It. languire:—popular L. *languīre for class. L. languē-re (inchoative languēscĕre); perh. cogn. w. L. lax-us (see LAX a.) and Teut. *slako- SLACK a.]
1. intr. Of living beings (also of plants or vegetation): To grow weak, faint or feeble; to lose health, have one’s vitality impaired; to continue in a state of feebleness and suffering. † In early use often: To be sick (const. of).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14138. In his sekenes he languist sua, Þat he na fote had might to ga.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 9550. Bedrede doun ful longe he lay, & languissed so forþ fro day to day.
1382. Wyclif, Dan. viii. 27. And Y, Danyel, languyshide, and was seeke by ful manye days.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., 651. He lastly fell in a greuouse sykenesse … And so languysshynge by the space of thre yeres more before he dyed.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, I. i. 37. What is it … the King languishes of? Laf. A Fistula, my Lord.
1635. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., v. (ed. 2), 202. Some for the losse of an over-loved child have languished, fallen into a consumption and lost their owne lives.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 77. Those who had been cured by evacuations often languished long.
1759. trans. Duhamel’s Husb., II. i. (1762), 123. Observing one day a tuft of wheat which languished.
1783. Crabbe, Village, I. 141. Health, Labour’s fair child, that languishes with wealth.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, ii. 24. He wrote for the recreation of persons languishing in sickness.
1850. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Monast. Ord. (1863), 197. It was said of him that he did not live, but languished through life.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., xiv. 180. He lies languishing of wounds.
fig. 1652–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., IV. (1682), 26. It began to languish, and was at last reduced to nothing but a few scattered Houses.
1882. Pebody, Eng. Journalism, xviii. 134. The Morning Chronicle … languished and died.
b. To live under conditions that lower the vitality or depress the spirits.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., III. xxiii. 223. To … make hys prysonners to langwysshe in pryson.
1592. trans. Junius on Rev. ix. 4. The miserable world languishing in so great calamities.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 181, ¶ 2. I … have ever since languished under the Displeasure of an inexorable Father.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, xi. The unfortunate captive is left to languish in chains and darkness.
1828. Carlyle, Misc. (1857), I. 195. The street where he languished in poverty is called by his name.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 329. Peoples languishing under the withering atrophy of Turkish rule.
2. Of appetites or activities: To grow slack, lose vigor or intensity. † Of light, color, sound, etc.: To become faint.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 255. Visibles and Audibles … doe languish and lessen by degrees, according to the Distance of the Obiects from the Sensories.
1635. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., xii. (ed. 2), 509. The brightness of lamps languish in the light.
1707. Watts, Hymn, ‘Come holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,’ iii. Hosannas languish on our Tongues, And our Devotion dies.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 516. Along the eastern frontier of France the war during this year seemed to languish.
1871. Napheys, Prev. & Cure Dis., II. i. 414. The appetite languishes.
† b. Of health: To fall off.
1729. Savage, Wanderer, v. 670. Late months, that made the vernal season gay, Saw my health languish off in pale decay.
3. To droop in spirits; to pine with love, grief, or the like.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24646. I languis al for þe.
1382. Wyclif, Song Sol. v. 8. I languysshe for looue.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 222. He dorste nat his sorwe telle But langwissheth as a furye dooth in helle.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9154. Made hym langwys in Loue & Longynges grete.
1483. Caxton, Cato, G ij b. Whan the courage languyssheth & … is abandonned to slouthfulnesse.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XVI. (Percy Soc.), 72. Languysshe no more, but plucke up thyne herte.
1562. Eden, Lett. to Sir W. Cecil, 1 Aug., in 1st 3 Eng. Bks. Amer. (Arb.), p. xliij. My spirites heretofore no lesse languysshed for lacke of suche a Patrone.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. i. 29. Loue and languish for his sake. Ibid. (1604), Oth., III. iii. 43. A man that languishes in your displeasure.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 334. With two fair Eyes his Mistress burns his Breast; He looks, and languishes, and leaves his Rest.
1791. Burns, Bonie Wee Thung. Wishfully I look and languish In that bonie face o’ thine.
1844. Thirlwall, Greece, VIII. lxii. 134. The spirit languished as the body decayed.
1871. R. Ellis, trans. Catullus, xxxii. 11. A lover Here I languish alone.
b. To waste away with desire or longing for, to pine for. Also const. with infinitive.
[1611: see 4 a.]
1699. Relat. Sir T. Morgan’s Progr., in Somers, Tracts, Ser. IV. (1751), III. 160. Major-general Morgan desired the Marshal not to let him languish for Orders.
1720. Ozell, Vertot’s Rom. Rep., I. V. 282. The People languished for the Restoration of their Tribunes.
1738. Wesley, Psalms, VI. iv. Yet still with never-ceasing Moans I languish for Relief.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, II. 430. What soldier languishes and sighs To leave us?
1847. De Quincey, Sp. Mil. Nun, i. The poor nuns, who … were languishing for some amusement.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. II. 49. All give way to grief And languish to return.
c. To assume a languid look or expression, as an indication of sorrowful or tender emotion. Also quasi-trans.
1714. Mrs. Manley, Adv. Rivella, 71. I saw his Eyes always fix’d on her with unspeakable Delight, whilst hers languish’d him some returns.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, lx. When a visitor comes in, she smiles and languishes, you’d think that butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
4. a. quasi-trans. (usually with out): To pass (a period of time) in languishing.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., I. vi. 72. To think that man … will’s free houres languish For assured bondage.
1683. Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 449. He languish’d out the rest of the Summer, and died.
1713. Addison, Cato, II. v. But whilst I live I must not hold my tongue, And languish out old age in his displeasure.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist., XVI. ii. § 8. VII. 302. Those who chose rather to destroy one another, than languish out their lives in that miserable manner.
† b. causal. To make to languish. Obs. rare.
1575. Fenton, Gold. Epist. (1582), 222. The displeasures passing in our house pearce deeper, and as a martyr languishe the heart euen vnto death.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, III. v. 529. Least by that jouissance he might or quench, or satisfie, or languish [F. allanguir] that burning flame … wherewith he gloryed.
