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intr.v. lan·guished, lan·guish·ing, lan·guish·es 1. To be or become weak or feeble; lose strength or vigor: crops languishing from a lack of rain. 2. To exist or continue in miserable or disheartening conditions: languished away in prison. 3. To remain unattended or be neglected: legislation that continued to languish in committee. 4. To become downcast or pine away in longing: languish apart from friends and family; languish for a change from dull routine. [Middle English languishen, from Old French languir, languiss-, from Latin languēre, to be languid; see slēg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] languish·er n. languish·ing·ly adv. languish·ment n. |
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