v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Languished p. pr. & vb. n. Languishing. ] [ OE. languishen, languissen, F. languir, L. languere; cf. Gr. &unr_; to slacken, &unr_; slack, Icel. lakra to lag behind; prob. akin to E. lag, lax, and perh. to E. slack. See -ish. ] 1. To become languid or weak; to lose strength or animation; to be or become dull, feeble or spiritless; to pine away; to linger in a weak or deteriorating condition; to wither or fade. [ 1913 Webster ]

We . . . do languish of such diseases. 2 Esdras viii. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife,
And let me languish into life. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

For the fields of Heshbon languish. Is. xvi. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To assume an expression of weariness or tender grief, appealing for sympathy. Tennyson.

3. To be neglected and unattended to; as, the proposal languished on the director's desk for months. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- To pine; wither; fade; droop; faint. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To cause to droop or pine. [ Obs. ] Shak. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Languishment. [ Obs. or Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

What, of death, too,
That rids our dogs of languish? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the blue languish of soft Allia's eye. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who languishes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Becoming languid and weak; pining; losing health and strength. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Amorously pensive; indicating melancholy; as, languishing eyes, or look. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Suffering neglect; neglected. [ PJC ]

4. Continuing in a weak or deteriorating state; lingering. [ PJC ]

adv. In a languishing manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of languishing. “Lingering languishment.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Tenderness of look or mien; amorous pensiveness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Languishment. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]