Sloth: A Dictionary for the Lazy (4 page)
Read Sloth: A Dictionary for the Lazy Online
Authors: Adams Media Corporation
Tags: #Dictionaries, #Reference
objectless
(OB-jikt-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Without an object or purpose; aimless.
(uh-BLIV-ee-uhn)
NOUN:
A state of unawareness or of being completely forgotten.
(uh-BLIV-ee-uhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Unaware of one’s surroundings.
(uhb-TOOS)
ADJECTIVE:
Dim-witted; imperceptive; slow to understand.
(AW-fish)
ADJECTIVE:
Detached; standoffish.
When introduced to new people, Liza was perceived as OFFISH due to her lack of energy or investment into conversation.
(AWR-nuh-ree)
ADJECTIVE:
Irritable; obstinate.
Procrastination isn’t the problem, it’s the solution.
So procrastinate now,
don’t put it off.
—E
LLEN
D
EGENERES
(OS-ih-tuhnt)
ADJECTIVE:
Drowsy; lazy or uninteresting.
(OH-shee-ohs)
ADJECTIVE:
Superfluous or not essential; lazy.
So much of our furniture seems OTIOSE; we rarely use any of it.
(oh-ver-TY-uhrd)
ADJECTIVE:
Exhausted; overworked.
pachydermatous
(pak-ih-DUR-muh-tuhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Formally, it means having the thick skin or a pachyderm; informally, it refers to someone who is indifferent to criticism.
(puh-RAL-uh-sis)
NOUN:
Complete immobility, voluntarily or otherwise; involuntarily loss of body movement as a result of an injury or some other affliction.
(PAR-uh-syt)
NOUN:
Something—including a person—who lives off of another; a sponge or freeloader.
(PASH-uhn-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Without passion or emotion.
(pa-SIV-ih-tee)
NOUN:
Submissiveness; obedience.
Her PASSIVITY pleased him; he enjoyed the break from her fighting back.
(per-FUHNGK-tuh-ree)
ADJECTIVE:
Performed as a matter of routine in a disinterested way; automatic.
(fleg-MAT-ik)
ADJECTIVE:
Indifferent or unconcerned; apathetic.
(PID-l)
VERB:
To waste time or money; dally.
She hid most of their savings in a can in the pantry; otherwise, he might PIDDLE it away at the racetrack.
(poh-koh-koo-RAN-tee)
ADJECTIVE:
Indifferent or nonchalant; as a noun it is used in reference to someone who is indifferent or uninterested.
(plod)
VERB:
To move along slowly, as if weighed down by something or not interested in moving ahead. As a noun, it refers to a slow walk or the sound of heavy, lumbering steps.
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put
off till tomorrow what you can do today.
—L
ORD
C
HESTERFIELD
(POH-kee)
ADJECTIVE:
Extremely slow; plodding.
(POP-eed)
ADJECTIVE:
Behaving in a sleepy manner, as if one has taken an opiate; a more literal translation is to be covered in poppies.
(POT-er)
VERB:
To move along or complete a task in a leisurely, uninterested manner; to putter.
We would have been finished much sooner if you had chosen to hurry up rather than POTTER about.
(proh-KRAS-tuh-nayt)
VERB:
To put off doing something until the last possible moment; delay.
(PROF-it)
ADJECTIVE:
Without profit or gain.
(proh-ZAY-ik)
ADJECTIVE:
Uninteresting and dull; without any specific features to make it special.
(PROS-trayt)
ADJECTIVE:
Lying in a prone, face-downward position, often as the result of an injury.
As she lay so dramatically PROSTRATE on the bed, she realized everyone was tired of her lazy lifestyle.
(PUR-puhs-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Without purpose or reason; aimless.
(pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Lacking courage; cowardly.
(pyoo-TRES-uhnt)
ADJECTIVE:
Decaying; rotting.
(PUHT-er)
VERB:
To
putter
is to move about in a slow, disinterested manner. See
potter
.
quicksand
(KWIK-sand)
NOUN:
A situation or location where entering is easy and swift but exiting is difficult and tedious.
(kwee-ES-uhnt)
ADJECTIVE:
In an inactive state; resting or dormant.
(KWAHY-ih-tood)
NOUN:
A state of quiet, calmness, or tranquility.
As selfish as it sounded, Muriel enjoyed the QUIETUDE while her children were gone to school.
Moderation is the feebleness and sloth of the soul, whereas ambition is the warmth and activity of it.
—F
RANçOIS
L
A
R
OCHEFOUCAULD
rack out
(RAK out)
VERB:
To go to sleep.
(RAM-buhl)
NOUN:
A stroll or leisurely walk.
(REE-ses)
NOUN:
A temporary end to activity or labor.
(ri-KLYN)
VERB:
To lean backward in an attempt to relax.
(ri-KUHM-buhnt)
ADJECTIVE:
Reclining; idle.
While lying RECUMBENT on the chaise, Dinah lazily gestured for another glass of wine.
(ri-GAHRD-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Paying no regard or attention; oblivious.
Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
—D
ON
M
ARQUIS
(ri-FRAYN)
VERB:
To hold back or prevent oneself from doing something.
(ri-LING-kwish)
VERB:
To give up or hand something over; to surrender.
(ri-MIS)
ADJECTIVE:
Careless; negligent of one’s duties.
You would be REMISS to leave your children without first hiring a caregiver.
(ree-POHZ)
NOUN:
A state of rest or tranquility.
(RES-pit)
NOUN:
A period of rest; a slight delay.
(REST-fuhl)
ADJECTIVE:
Allowing for rest; relaxing or tranquil.
(ri-ZUHLT-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Without results; fruitless.
(ri-TYUHR)
VERB:
To leave the work force permanently; to go to bed. In both cases, the retiree does so in search of relaxation.
I shall RETIRE early this evening in hopes of catching more sleep than normal.
(ROK-er)
NOUN:
A chair mounted on two curved pieces that allows one to rock back and forth while sitting.
(ROH-lee-POH-lee)
ADJECTIVE:
Plump and round.
(roost)
VERB:
To settle in and rest.
(roh-TUHND)
ADJECTIVE:
Round; fat.
(ruhmp)
NOUN:
Buttocks; backside.
(ruhn-DOUN)
ADJECTIVE:
Exhausted or fatigued.
(RUHS-tee)
ADJECTIVE:
Out of practice; literally, it also describes something that is covered in rust due to neglect or infrequent use.
The avenues in my neighborhood are Pride, Covetous and Lust; the cross streets are Anger, Gluttony, Envy and Sloth. I live over on Sloth, and the style on our street is to avoid the other thoroughfares.
—J
OHN
C
HANCELLOR
sag
(sag)
VERB:
Droop or wilt; weaken.
(SAND-man)
NOUN:
The mythical man who puts sand in your eyes to make you sleepy.
(SAWN-ter)
VERB:
To walk along in an unhurried, leisurely manner; meander.
He would SAUNTER through the parties, casually greeting guests without exerting too much energy.
(SKAL-uh-wag)
NOUN:
A dishonest or misbehaved person; rascal.
(shlep)
VERB:
To move slowly from one place to the next; to carry something.
(skrounj-er)
NOUN:
One who freeloads or sponges off of others.
(SED-uh-tiv)
ADJECTIVE:
Having a calming effect, especially in relation to a drug.
(SED-n-ter-ee)
ADJECTIVE:
Related to the act of sitting; involving little exercise.
When Edward stopped doing manual labor and took a more SEDENTARY job, he began slowly gaining weight.
(sem-ee-KON-shuhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Existing somewhere between unconsciousness and full consciousness.
(SENS-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Without sensation; lacking perception; meaningless.
(SHIFT-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Lack of ambition; unwillingness to work in order to be successful.
She was an incredibly SHIFTLESS girl; she was trying to get paid without actually doing her job.
(SHIL-ee-shal-ee)
VERB:
To vacillate or be indecisive; to waste time or dawdle.
(SHUR-ker)
NOUN:
One who ignores his or her responsibilities; dawdler.
(SHUHT-aye)
NOUN:
Another word for sleep or slumber.
(see-ES-tuh)
NOUN:
A nap taken in the early afternoon.
(SAHY-ni-kyoor)
NOUN:
A job that pays well but requires very little work.
(skuhlk)
VERB:
To move around in a secret, stealthy manner; as a noun in the U.K. it refers to a shirker, or someone who avoids his or her responsibilities.
(slak)
ADJECTIVE:
Being loose or relaxed, not taut (as in a rope); lacking in energy or vitality.
(slak-er)
NOUN:
One who spends his or her days in an idle manner; malingerer.
James was a SLACKER in school and refused to pay attention or do any of his assignments.
(SLAP-dash)
ADJECTIVE:
Haphazard; disorganized.
(sleep-in-DOOS-ing)
ADJECTIVE:
Something that causes sleep; soporific.
(SLEE-pee)
ADJECTIVE:
Wanting to go to sleep; drowsy.
(SLIP-shod)
ADJECTIVE:
Sloppy; careless; slapdash.
The kitchen had a SLIPSHOD appearance; the sink was piled high with dishes, the floor was covered with papers and food, and the oven was open.
(slog)
VERB:
Trudge; to work at something for a long time with few results.
(SLAWTH-fuhl)
ADJECTIVE:
Lazy; showing a disinclination to work or exertion.
(slouch)
VERB:
To stand in a nonupright, drooping fashion; as a noun, a
slouch
is someone who does not care to do something well, a loafer.
When you SLOUCH like that, you wrinkle your clothes and ruin your posture.
(SLOH-kohch)
NOUN:
Someone who moves very slowly; a laggard.
(SLOH-GOH-ing)
ADJECTIVE:
Happening at a slow pace.
(SLOH-nis)
NOUN:
Characterized by being slow; laggardness.
(SLOH-pohk)
NOUN:
Someone who moves very slowly; slowcoach.
(sluhg)
NOUN:
A slow-moving mollusk or a person who behaves in a similarly “sluggish” manner.
(SLUHG-uh-bed)
NOUN:
A person who likes to sleep in past a normal hour.
Henrietta was such a SLUGABED that she would still be sleeping hours after we had all had our breakfast.
(SLUHG-erd)
NOUN:
One who avoids work and other responsibilities.
(SLUHG-ish)
ADJECTIVE:
Slow-moving; lethargic and listless.
(SLUHM-ber-land)
NOUN:
The imaginary place kids are told they visit when they fall asleep.
(SLUHM-ber-uhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Drowsiness; sleepiness.
(snooz)
NOUN:
A short nap; used as a verb it means to take a short nap.
(som-NAM-byuh-liz-uhm)
NOUN:
The technical phrase for sleepwalking; noctambulism.
(som-NIF-er-uhs)
ADJECTIVE:
Having the ability to cause sleepiness.
“I find this conversation SOMNIFEROUS, so I am going to bed,” she sighed.
(SOM-nuh-luhnt)
ADJECTIVE:
Drowsy or sleepy; quiet.
(sop-uh-RIF-ik)
ADJECTIVE:
Having the ability to cause sleepiness. As a noun, it refers to the thing that causes sleepiness—like a drug.
(SPIR-it-lis)
ADJECTIVE:
Lacking courage or vitality.
(SPUHN-jer)
NOUN:
One who lives off of others for all his or her needs; freeloader.
(SKWON-der)
VERB:
To waste something in an extravagant manner.
He was known to SQUANDER their modest income on elaborate meals and entertainment.
(stag-NAY-shuhn)
NOUN:
A cessation in movement or activity; stasis.
(STAND-stil)
NOUN:
A point in time at which all movement and activity stops.
The afternoon was at a STANDSTILL as we all were lulled into a heavy sleep with our full bellies.
(STAY-SIS)
NOUN:
A state during which there is no movement, development, or progression; in science, this can be the result of two forces balancing each other out.
(STAT-ik)
ADJECTIVE:
Remaining in a fixed position; stationary.
(STAY-shuh-ner-ee)
ADJECTIVE:
To stay in one place; immobile. Not to be confused with stationery, which is the pretty paper upon which you’d write a letter.
Wherever there is degeneration and apathy, there also is sexual perversion, cold depravity, miscarriage, premature old age, grumbling youth, there is a decline in the arts, indifference to science, and injustice in all its forms.
—A
NTON
C
HEKHOV
(STIL-nis)
NOUN:
Without motion or movement; calmness or tranquility.
(STOJ-ee)
ADJECTIVE:
Devoid of originality; unimaginative and tedious.
(STOH-uh-siz-uhm)
NOUN:
Indifference to all matters—both ones that cause pleasure and those that cause pain.
His STOICISM was amazing; he showed no expression while they debated whether he would live or die.
(STOL-id)
ADJECTIVE:
Lacking in emotions; impassive.
(STOP-ij)
NOUN:
A situation where all movement, progress, or work has been stopped.
(STRAG-ler)
NOUN:
A person who falls behind or wanders off; dawdler.
The procession carried on, everyone walking in a straight line, except for one STRAGGLER who had fallen far behind the group.
(STUHL-tuh-fy)
VERB:
To make someone seem unintelligent or foolish.
(STOO-puh-fy)
VERB:
Being unable to think clearly as a result of boredom or tiredness; astonish.
(STOO-per)
NOUN:
A trancelike or dazed state, marked by a lack of mental acuteness.
Sloth views the towers of Fame with envious eyes, Desirous still,
still impotent to rise.
—W
ILLIAM
S
HAKESPEARE
(soo-PYN)
ADJECTIVE:
Lying on one’s back in a face-upward position; remaining totally inactive in a situation that calls for action.
After your surgery it will be necessary for you to remain SUPINE while you recover.
(sur-SEES)
NOUN:
Stoppage; intermission.
(suh-SPEN-shuhn)
NOUN:
A temporary interruption or stoppage of something, whether it’s an employee from his or her post or a student from school.