languish

The story

1. Latin · derived fromlanguēre“to be faint, unwell”
2. Late Latin · derived fromlanguīre
3. Middle French · derived fromlanguir
4. Middle English · inherited fromlanguysshen
5. English todaylanguish

From Middle English languysshen, from the present participle stem of Anglo-Norman and Middle French languir, from Late Latin languīre, alteration of Latin languēre (“to be faint, unwell”). : Compare languor, languid and lax. : Cognate with slack.

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.
• from 14th c. To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness.
• from 15th c. To live in miserable or disheartening conditions.
• from 17th c. To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful.
• 15th–17th c. To make weak; to weaken, devastate.
• from 18th c. To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously.