Languishings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state of suffering from being forced to remain in an unpleasant condition
2. A prolonged period of weakness or decline due to lack of resources or support
3. An emotional or physical experience of weakening, often accompanied by a sense of longing or desire for improvement

Etymology: "Languishings" is simply the plural of "languishing," the noun form of the verb "languish." Its roots run back through Old French "languir" to the Latin "languere," meaning to be faint, weary or feeble, which is also the source of "languid." The plural form points to repeated episodes of that weakening, each one a separate spell of pining or fading rather than a single state.