Stupor

stupor |ˈst(y)oōpər|

noun [in sing. ]

a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility : a drunken stupor.

Stupor : a state of near-unconsciousness

DERIVATIVES

stuporous |-rəs| |ˈst(j)upərəs| adjective

ORIGIN late Middle English : from Latin, from stupere ‘be amazed or stunned.’

stupor

noun

they left him slumped in a drunken stupor daze, state of unconsciousness, torpor, insensibility, oblivion.

Loiter

loiter |ˈloitər|

verb [ intrans. ]

Loiter : stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpos

e : she saw Mary loitering near the cloakrooms.

• travel indolently and with frequent pauses : they loitered along in the sunshine, stopping at the least excuse.

DERIVATIVES

loiterer |ˈlɔɪdərər| noun

ORIGIN late Middle English : perhaps from Middle Dutch loteren ‘wag around.’

THE RIGHT WORD

Someone who hangs around downtown after the stores are closed and appears to be deliberately wasting time is said to loiter, a verb that connotes improper or sinister motives (: the police warned the boys not to loiter).

To dawdle is to pass time leisurely or to pursue something halfheartedly (: dawdle in a stationery shop; dawdle over a sinkful of dishes).

Someone who dallies dawdles in a particularly pleasurable and relaxed way, with connotations of amorous activity (: he dallied with his girlfriend when he should have been delivering papers).

Idle suggests that the person makes a habit of avoiding work or activity (: idle away the hours of a hot summer day), while lag suggests falling behind or failing to maintain a desirable rate of progress (: she lagged several yards behind her classmates as they walked to the museum).

loiter

verb

1 he loitered at bus stops linger, wait, skulk; loaf, lounge, idle, laze, waste time, lollygag; informal hang around; archaic tarry.

2 they loitered along the river bank dawdle, dally, stroll, amble, saunter, meander, drift, putter, take one’s time; informal dilly-dally, mosey.

THE RIGHT WORD

Someone who hangs around downtown after the stores are closed and appears to be deliberately wasting time is said to loiter, a verb that connotes improper or sinister motives (: the police warned the boys not to loiter). To dawdle is to pass time leisurely or to pursue something halfheartedly (: dawdle in a stationery shop; dawdle over a sinkful of dishes). Someone who dallies dawdles in a particularly pleasurable and relaxed way, with connotations of amorous activity (: he dallied with his girlfriend when he should have been delivering papers). Idle suggests that the person makes a habit of avoiding work or activity (: idle away the hours of a hot summer day), while lag suggests falling behind or failing to maintain a desirable rate of progress (: she lagged several yards behind her classmates as they walked to the museum).

Senile

senile |ˈsēˌnīl; ˈsen-|

adjective

(of a person) having or showing the weaknesses or diseases of old age, esp. a loss of mental faculties : she couldn’t cope with her senile husband.

• (of a condition) characteristic of or caused by old age : senile decay.

• Geology approaching the end of a cycle of erosion.

noun

a senile person : you never know where you stand with these so-called seniles.

Senile : (of a person) having or showing the weaknesses or diseases of old age

DERIVATIVES

senility |siˈnilitē| |səˈnɪlədi| |sɛˈnɪlədi| |sɪˈnɪlɪti| noun

ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: from French sénile or Latin senilis, from senex ‘old man.’

Listless

listless |ˈlis(t)lis|

adjective

(of a person or their manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm : bouts of listless depression.

Listless : lacking energy

DERIVATIVES

listlessly |ˈlɪs(t)l1sli| adverb

listlessness |ˈlɪs(t)l1sn1s| noun

ORIGIN Middle English : from obsolete list [appetite, desire] + -less .

listless

adjective

this heat makes me listless | a listless performance lethargic, enervated, spiritless, lifeless, languid, languorous, inactive, inert, sluggish, torpid. See word spectrum at energetic . antonym energetic.

Loaf

loaf ¹ |lōf|

noun ( pl. loaves |lōvz|)

bread that is shaped and baked in one piece and usually sliced before being eaten : a loaf of bread | two loaves in the oven.

• food formed into a usu. oblong shape, and often sliced into portions.

PHRASES

half a loaf is better than none proverb it is better to accept less than one wants or expects than to have nothing at all.

Loaf : be lazy or idle

ORIGIN Old English hlāf, of Germanic origin; related to German Laib.

loaf ² |loʊf| |ləʊf|

verb [ intrans. ]

idle one’s time away, typically by aimless wandering or loitering : don’t let him see you loafing around with your hands in your pockets.

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: probably a back-formation from loafer

Lackadaisical

lackadaisical |ˌlakəˈdāzikəl|

adjective

Lackadaisical : lacking enthusiasm and determination

; carelessly lazy : a lackadaisical defense left the Spurs adrift in the second half.

DERIVATIVES

lackadaisically |ˈˈløkəˈˈdeɪz1k(ə)li| adverb

ORIGIN mid 18th cent. (also in the sense [feebly sentimental] ): from the archaic interjection lackaday, lackadaisy (see alack ) + -ical .

lackadaisical

adjective

I was lackadaisical about my training lethargic, apathetic, listless, sluggish, spiritless, passionless; careless, lazy, lax, unenthusiastic, halfhearted, lukewarm, indifferent, unconcerned, casual, offhand, blasé, insouciant, relaxed; informal laid-back, easygoing, couldn’t-care-less. antonym enthusiastic.

Thesaurus

Languor

languor |ˈla ng (g)ər|

noun

1 the state or feeling, often pleasant, of tiredness or inertia : he remembered the languor and warm happiness of those golden afternoons.

2 an oppressive stillness of the air : the afternoon was hot, quiet, and heavy with languor.

Languor : the state or feeling, often pleasant, of tiredness or inertia

DERIVATIVES

languorous |-g(ə)rəs; ˈla ng ərəs| |ˈløŋ(g)(ə)rəs| adjective

languorously |-g(ə)rəslē; ˈla ng ərəslē| |ˈløŋ(g)(ə)rəsli| adverb

ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French from Latin, from languere (see languish ). The original sense was [illness, disease, distress,] later [faintness, lassitude] ; current senses date from the 18th cent., when such lassitude became associated with a sometimes rather self-indulgent romantic yearning.

languor

noun

1 the sultry languor that was stealing over her lassitude, lethargy, listlessness, torpor, fatigue, weariness, sleepiness, drowsiness; laziness, idleness, indolence, inertia, sluggishness, apathy. antonym vigor.

2 the languor of a hot day stillness, tranquility, calm, calmness; oppressiveness, heaviness.

Lassitude

lassitude |ˈlasəˌt(y)oōd|

noun

Lassitude : a state of physical or mental weariness

; lack of energy : she was overcome by lassitude and retired to bed | a patient complaining of lassitude and inability to concentrate.

ORIGIN late Middle English : from French, from Latin lassitudo, from lassus ‘tired.’

lassitude

noun

prolonged periods of lassitude lethargy, listlessness, weariness, languor, sluggishness, tiredness, fatigue, torpor, lifelessness, apathy. antonym vigor.

Insensate

insensate |inˈsenˌsāt; -sit|

adjective

Insensate : lacking physical sensation

: a patient who was permanently unconscious and insensate.

• lacking sympathy or compassion; unfeeling : a positively insensate hatred.

• completely lacking sense or reason : insensate jabbering.

DERIVATIVES

insensately |1nˈsɛnˈseɪtli| |ˈɪnˈsɛnˈseɪtli| adverb

ORIGIN late 15th cent.: from ecclesiastical Latin insensatus, from in- ‘not’ + sensatus ‘having senses’ (see sensate ).

Sluggard

sluggard |ˈsləgərd|

noun

a lazy, sluggish person.

Sluggard : Lazy

DERIVATIVES

sluggardliness |ˈsləgərdlin1s| noun

sluggardly |ˈsləgərdli| adjective

ORIGIN Middle English : from the rare verb slug [be lazy or slow] + -ard .

sluggard

noun

that sluggard attached to the sofa is my brother Lew ne’er-do-well, layabout, do-nothing, idler, loafer, lounger, good-for-nothing, shirker, underachiever; informal slacker, slug, lazybones, bum, couch potato.