languish

/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪʃ/

Etymology

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.

languish means to lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness. Lexicurio rates it Distinctive — a strength score of 68 out of 100.

verb

To lose strength and become weak; to be in a state of weakness or sickness.“We […] do languish of such diseases.”
To pine away in longing for something; to have low spirits, especially from lovesickness.“He languished without his girlfriend.”
To live in miserable or disheartening conditions.“He languished in prison for years.”
To be neglected; to make little progress, be unsuccessful.“The case languished for years before coming to trial.”
To make weak; to weaken, devastate.
To affect a languid air, especially disingenuously.“He is an excellent young man, and will suit Harriet exactly: it will be an "exactly so," as he says himself; but he does sigh and languish, and study for compliments rather more than I could endure as a principal.”