sluggish

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

slug +‎ -ish

Pronunciation[edit]

IPA^(key): /ˈslʌɡɪʃ/
Audio (UK)
(file)

Adjective[edit]

sluggish (comparative sluggisher or more sluggish, superlative sluggishest or most sluggish)

Habitually idle and lazy; slothful; dull; inactive
a sluggish man
- 1724, Pharmacopolæ Justificati: Or, Apothecaries Vindicated from the Imputation of Ignorance. […], London: […] J. Roberts, […], OCLC 990820804, page 6:
  [I]f he leaves the School poſſeſs'd of a ſluggiſh indolent Diſpoſition, and of Learning rather forc'd upon him than choſen, it is probable he will forget what he brought thence; but if he be active, emulous and aſpiring, he will certainly find Time for Reading and Thinking; for tho' it be a homely, it is a true Saying, that where there is a Will, there is a Way.
- c. 1874, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ovid in Exile
  And the sluggish land slumbers in utter neglect.
- 1910 January 12, Ameen Rihani, “On the Wharf of Enchantment”, in The Book of Khalid, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published October 1911, OCLC 6412012, book the first (In the Exchange), page 34:
  He helps us to understand the insignificant points which mark the rapid undercurrents of the seemingly sluggish soul of Khalid.
Slow; having little motion
- 1913, Paul Laurence Dunbar, At Sunset Time
  We float upon a sluggish stream,
  
  We ride no rapids mad,
  
  While life is all a tempered dream
  
  And every joy half sad.
Having no power to move oneself or itself; inert.
- 1695, John Woodward, An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth and Terrestrial Bodies
  Matter, being impotent, sluggish, and inactive, hath no power to stir or move itself.
Characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple.
Exhibiting economic decline, inactivity, slow or subnormal growth.
Inflation has been rising despite sluggish economy.

Quotations[edit]

1670, John Milton, The History of Britain, […] , London: Printed by J.M. for James Alleſtry, […] , OCLC 78038412:

So sluggish a conceit.

Synonyms[edit]

See also Thesaurus:lazy
See also Thesaurus:slow

Antonyms[edit]

(slow, having little motion): nimble

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

habitually idle and lazy; slothful; dull; inactive

Chamicuro: achwayi
Chinese:
Mandarin: 懶惰 (zh), 懒惰 (zh) (lǎnduò)
Finnish: hidas (fi), laiska (fi), veltto (fi)
Galician: lerdo, náparo, harón, zamarrón
Greek: νωθρός (el) (nothrós), άτονος (el) (átonos)
Ancient: νωθρός (nōthrós), νωχελής (nōkhelḗs)
Irish: ceanntrom

Latin: languidus, ignavus
Maori: ukauka
Polish: opieszały (pl)
Portuguese: vadio (pt), vagabundo (pt)
Russian: лени́вый (ru) (lenívyj), медли́тельный (ru) (medlítelʹnyj)
Sanskrit: मन्दर (sa) (mandara)
Slovene: len (sl)
Spanish: perezoso (es), haragán (es), huevón (es), desganado (es), aburrido (es), inútil (es)
Turkish: uyuşuk (tr), miskin (tr)

slow; having little motion

Chinese:
Mandarin: 緩慢 (zh), 缓慢 (zh) (huǎnmàn)
Dutch: langzaam (nl)
Finnish: hidas (fi), hiljainen (fi), heikko (fi)
French: poussif (fr), faiblard (fr) (familiar)
Maori: pūtumu, hōtoa, pūroto, pūrotoroto, ukauka

Portuguese: lento (pt), moroso (pt)
Russian: ме́дленный (ru) (médlennyj)
Slovene: počasen (sl)
Spanish: lento (es), calmado (es), calmo (es)
Turkish: aheste (tr), ağır (tr)

having no power to move oneself or itself; inert

Finnish: jähmeä (fi), verkkainen (fi)
French: rétamé (fr) (slang), naze (fr) (slang)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: بێ تاقەت‎ (ku) (bê taqet)
Maori: tūrūruhi

Portuguese: inerte (pt)
Russian: неповоротливый (ru) (nepovorotlivyj), инертный (ru) (inertnyj)
Slovene: šibek (sl)
Spanish: desganado (es) (persons), apagado (es) (persons, things), inerte (es)
Turkish: durgun (tr), tutuk (tr)

characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple

Finnish: hidas (fi), hidasälyinen (fi), verkkainen (fi)
Greek:
Ancient Greek: νωθρός (nōthrós)
Portuguese: devagar (pt)

Russian: заторможенный (ru) (zatormožennyj)
Spanish: lento (es), estúpido (es), tarado (es), pendejo (es)
Turkish: miskin (tr), tutuk (tr)