— neglectedly , adv. — neglectedness , n. — neglecter, neglector , n.
/ni glekt"/ , v.t.
1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight: The public neglected his genius for many years.
2. to be remiss in the care or treatment of: to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.
3. to omit, through indifference or carelessness: to neglect to reply to an invitation.
4. to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.): to neglect the household chores.
5. to fail to take or use: to neglect no precaution.
n.
6. an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence: The neglect of the property was shameful.
7. the fact or state of being neglected: a beauty marred by neglect.
[ 1520-30; neglectus, var. of neclectus (ptp. of neglegere, neclegere to disregard, ignore, slight), equiv. to nec not + leg-, base of legere to pick up + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 1. ignore. See slight. 6, 7. default, inattention, heedlessness. NEGLECT, DERELICTION, NEGLIGENCE, REMISSNESS imply carelessness, failure, or some important omission in the performance of one's duty, a task, etc. NEGLECT and NEGLIGENCE are occasionally interchangeable, but NEGLECT commonly refers to an instance, NEGLIGENCE to the habit or trait, of failing to attend to or perform what is expected or required: gross neglect of duty; negligence in handling traffic problems.
DERELICTION implies culpable or reprehensible neglect or failure in the performance of duty: dereliction in a position of responsibility. REMISSNESS implies the omission or the careless or indifferent performance of a duty: remissness in filing a report on the accident.
Ant. 6. attention, care.