Palling

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /pɔːlɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The phenomenon of diminishing enjoyment or charm occurs when something that was once appealing starts to feel less captivating or invigorating
2. A process where something that first seemed exciting gradually becomes less enjoyable or interesting
3. The fading of enthusiasm or pleasure as something familiar no longer feels stimulating

Etymology: "Palling" is the present participle of "pall," and the verb comes from the noun "pall," a heavy cloth spread over a coffin, a bier, or an altar. That cloth, in turn, traces back to Old English "pæll," borrowed from Latin "pallium," a cloak or mantle, which the Romans had themselves borrowed from Greek. The fabric was draped over things, so the image of something being covered and dulled was already in place long before the verb appeared. The verb sense, "to become tiresome or insipid," developed later, as a figurative extension of the sense "to cloak or cover up," and its earlier uses in English were about things losing their flavour or strength. Wine that had gone flat was described as palled, which fits the idea of something whose sparkle has been smothered. The meaning then shifted from the physical to the emotional, so that a pleasure or an activity could be said to be palling when repetition had drained its appeal.

Synonyms: diminishing, waning, wearing off

Antonyms: intensifying, increasing, growing