[f. LANGUISH v. + -MENT.]
1. Sickness, illness; physical weakness, faintness, pining or suffering. ? Obs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. xii. 23. Who now was falne into new languishment Of his old hurt, which was not throughly cured.
1609. J. Davies (Heref.), Holy Roode, F 3 b. That in the Lab’rinth of his Languishment [sc. Christ’s passion] We may, though lost therein, find solagement.
1625. Jackson, Creed, V. viii. 73. The languishment of a certain friend … hath taught me of late, that we are best men when we are sickly.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VII. xiii. 364. He dyed at Chalcis of a naturall death and languishment of stomack.
1742. Young, Nt. Th., V. 496. When by the bed of Languishment we sit.
1809. Kendall, Trav., II. lii. 211. Pulmonary consumption…. This disease, which, after the country people among the whites, they call a languishment, is equally fatal to the Indians.
1831. J. Wilson, in Blackw. Mag., XXIX. 289. A hue foreboding languishment and decay.
1845. Wordsw., Love Lies Bleeding, 8. Thus leans … Earthward in uncomplaining languishment, The dying Gladiator.
b. pl. Sufferings, fits of weakness or illness.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., II. iii. (1848), 107. If it [a Disease] tire out the Patient with tedious Languishments.
1674. T. Turnor, Case Bankers & Creditors, Concl. 33. The Law … acquits the person that steals viands to pacify the present Languishments of nature.
1685. Evelyn, Mrs. Godolphin, 150. Thus ended this incomparable Lady:… leaving … a disconsolate Husband, whose vnexpressible griefe … would hardly suffer him to be spectator of her languishments.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., III. III. (1852), 577. He fell into some languishments attended with a fever.
c. Weariness, lassitude, languor; listlessness, inertness.
c. 1620. T. Robinson, Mary Magd., 383. Parte of her time in idle languishement … shee spent.
a. 1680. Charnock, Attrib. God (1834), II. 23. God can produce more worlds than the sun doth plants every year, without weariness, without languishment.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., I. 39. Each sound, too, here to languishment inclined, Lulled the weak bosom, and inducèd ease.
d. fig. Of things: Decline, decay, loss of activity.
1617. Hieron, Wks. (1619–20), II. 252. The graces of regeneration and sanctification, when they are abused and brought to a kinde of languishment.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 117. The first is a certaine languishment, and debility of Fayth.
1821. Examiner, 546/2. There is a languishment here for want of persecution.
2. Mental pain, distress or pining; sorrow, trouble, grief; depression or affliction of spirits, sadness.
1591. Spenser, Ruins Time, 159. Yet it is comfort in great languishment, To be bemoned with compassion kinde.
1591. Troub. Raigne K. John (1611), 38. Madame good cheere, these drouping languishments Add no redress to salue our awkward haps.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 427. Mariamne resisted the dull languishments of this captiuity with a generous constancy.
1681. Glanvill, Sadducimus, II. 206. He would put him in a course to rid his Wife of this languishment and trouble.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 159, ¶ 11. Who can wonder that the mind … quickly sinks into languishment and despondency.
3. esp. Sorrow caused by love or by longing of any kind; amorous grief or pain.
a. 1541. Wyatt, Compl. Love, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 48. Thence came the tears, and thence the bitter torment, The sighs, the words, and eke the languishment.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, lx. The spheare of Cupid fourty yeares containes: Which I have wasted in long languishment.
1596. Edw. III., II. i. 14. How heart-sick and how full of languishment Her beauty makes me.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymnotheo, Poet. Wks. 1721, III. 237. As a chast Dove … For her dead Mate a lively Love retains, And in continued Languishment remains.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 423, ¶ 5. The Comparison of Strephon’s Gayety to Damon’s Languishment.
1819. Keats, Sonn., ‘Happy is England.’ Yet do I sometimes feel a languishment For skies Italian.
1822. B. W. Procter, Scenes Julian Apostate, ii. That inward languishment of mind, which dreams Of some remote and high accomplishment.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., i. 21. Love-agonies and languishments beyond the reach of words.
b. Expression of longing or tenderness.
1709. W. King, Art of Love, IV. 19. Whilst sinking eyes with languishment profess Follies his tongue refuses to confess.
1717. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Mar, 18 April. Her eyes!—large and black, with all the soft languishment of the blue.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand. (1812), I. 361. A look full of languishment.
1814. Scott, Wav., ii. The sighs and languishments of the fair tell-tale.
1876. Geo. Eliot, Dan. Der., V. xxxv. Adorers who might hover around her with languishment.
