Words / C1

LANGW-ish/ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/

To languish is to grow weak, or to remain for a long time in an unpleasant, neglected state: languish in prison, languish in a folder. Suffer and sit unused are everyday paraphrases; languid (already in the dictionary) is “unhurried / weak” as an adjective. Do not let a safety form languish.

Meaning

To grow weak, or to be left for a long time without progress.

Examples

• “The ethics form languished in a drafts folder for a term.”
• “Sit unused is everyday. Languid is the adjective cousin (already in the dictionary). Waste away is stronger and more physical. A parked file is languishing; a scheduled pause is not.”

Good to know

Fade / sit unused and weak. Everyday: sit unused. Adjective cousin: languid. A safety form must not languish.

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