languish
American Heritage Dictionary:
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lan·guish
(lăng'gwĭsh) 
intr.v., -guished, -guish·ing, -guish·es.
languishingly lan'guish·ing·ly adv.
languishment lan'guish·ment n.
intr.v., -guished, -guish·ing, -guish·es.
- To be or become weak or feeble; lose strength or vigor.
- To exist or continue in miserable or disheartening conditions: languished away in prison.
- To remain unattended or be neglected: legislation that continued to languish in committee.
- To become downcast or pine away in longing: languish apart from friends and family; languish for a change from dull routine.
- To affect a wistful or languid air, especially in order to gain sympathy.
[Middle English languishen, from Old French languir, languiss-, from Latin languēre, to be languid.]
languisher lan'guish·er n.languishingly lan'guish·ing·ly adv.
languishment lan'guish·ment n.
Roget's Thesaurus:
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languish
verb
- To lose strength or power: decline, degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, flag2, sink, wane, waste (away), weaken. Informal fizzle (out). Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids. See increase/decrease, strong/weak.
- To waste away from longing or grief: pine (away), wither. See health/sickness.
Antonyms by Answers.com:
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languish
v
Definition: droop; become dull, listless
Antonyms: flourish, grow, improve, strengthen, thrive
Word Tutor:
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languish
IN BRIEF: To become weak. Also: To live under distressing conditions.
Unless a new strong leader is chosen, that country will languish in poverty for many more years.
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Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'languishing'
- Diagnostic Terminology - languishing: (adj) failing in health, weakening, losing vigor
- Sad, Serious, Pessimistic, or Discontented
Translations:
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Languish
Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - blive mat, vansmægte, sygne hen, vantrives, stilne af, dø hen
Nederlands (Dutch)
kwijnen, verkommeren, (ver)smachten (naar), verflauwen, droefgeestig worden
Français (French)
v. intr. - se morfondre, dépérir, se languir de l'absence de (qn)
Deutsch (German)
v. - schmachten, ermatten
Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ατονώ, εξασθενώ, αργοσβήνω, μαραζώνω, λιώνω από νοσταλγία
Português (Portuguese)
v. - enfraquecer-se, suspirar por, ansiar
Русский (Russian)
чахнуть, изнывать, томный вид, вялость
Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - languidecer, consumirse, decaer
Svenska (Swedish)
v. - avmattas, försmäkta, tyna bort, tråna, trängta, se trånsjuk ut
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
憔悴, 苦思, 凋萎
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 憔悴, 苦思, 凋萎
한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 기운이 없어지다, 쇠약해지다, 동경하다, 비참하게 살다
日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 元気がなくなる, 弱る, しおれる, 苦しい生活を送る, 思い焦がれる
العربيه (Arabic)
(فعل) يهن, يضعف, تفتر همته, يضنى, يذبل, يهزل, يشتاق إلى
עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - היה חלש, נחלש, התנוון, השתוקק, סבל ארוכות, איבד מרץ, התגעגע
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Roget's Thesaurus
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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