[lan.guish] vi [ME, fr. MF languiss-, stem of languir, fr. (assumed) VL languire, fr. L languere] (14c) 1 a: to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated b: to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality
2. a: to become dispirited: pine "~ing in prison" b: to suffer neglect "the bill ~ed in the Senate for eight months"
3: to assume an expression of grief or emotion appealing for sympathy -- lan.guish.er n -- lan.guish.ing.ly adv -- lan.guish.ment n