languish

/ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlaŋ-gwish/ (ame, mw)

languish — 動詞

  • languishpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • languisheshe / she / it
  • languishedpast simple
  • languishing-ing form

1. to continue living or waiting in harsh conditions that you do not want and canno

1.動詞不及物C2
釋義

苦熬；受困

長期困在難受處境中

to continue living or waiting in harsh conditions that you do not want and cannot easily leave.

例句

Felix languished in a crowded cell for three winters without trial.

Felix 未經審判，就在擁擠的牢房裡苦熬了三個冬天。

languish in + unpleasant place for a long time

After the flood, Nia languished in a damp shelter with no news.

洪水過後，Nia 在潮濕的收容所裡苦熬，卻一直沒有任何消息。

同義詞
  • suffer

    states the pain directly, without necessarily suggesting long neglect or confinement

  • rot

    is harsher and often implies being left uselessly in prison or in one place

  • linger

    can describe remaining somewhere for a long time but does not by itself imply misery

反義詞
  • thrive

    describes living in a healthy, successful, or favorable state instead of suffering through it

文法句型

languish in + unpleasant place

languish under + harsh condition

用法筆記

Most often used when someone is trapped in prison, a camp, a hospital, or another grim setting for a long time. It commonly takes 'in' and often suggests neglect as well as suffering.

常見錯誤

❌The guards languished the prisoners for months.
✅The prisoners languished for months.
💡languish is intransitive, so the suffering person or group must be the subject.

2. to lose strength, energy, or momentum, or to stay weak and unable to move ahead.

2.動詞不及物C2
釋義

衰弱；停滯

變虛弱，或一直沒進展

to lose strength, energy, or momentum, or to stay weak and unable to move ahead.

例句

Without rain, the bean plants languished in the school garden by July.

一直沒有下雨，校園菜園裡的豆苗到了七月已經明顯衰弱。

languish of living things becoming weak

Mert's recovery languished after he stopped doing the clinic exercises.

Mert 停做診所安排的復健動作後，恢復進度就停滯了。

progress slows or stops

同義詞
  • stagnate

    focuses on progress stopping, especially in business, plans, or discussion

  • wither

    strongly suggests physical weakening or drying, especially in plants or health

  • fade

    suggests gradually becoming weaker or less noticeable, often more gently than languish

反義詞
  • flourish

    describes growing strongly or progressing well instead of weakening or staying stuck

文法句型

languish in + place or process

languish for + period

用法筆記

Used for living things, recovery, sales, and plans that should be growing, improving, or moving forward. It often implies a long stretch of lost energy rather than one sudden failure.

常見錯誤

❌The coach languished the team after the loss.
✅The team languished after the loss.
💡languish does not take a direct object; it describes the subject becoming weak or stalled.