ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sloth

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //ˈsɫoʊθ// UK //slˈɒθ// sloth Archaic

n. a strong feeling of laziness or a total lack of effort. It is often used to describe someone who refuses to work or do anything useful.

n. habitual disinclination to exertion; laziness or indolence. Historically identified as one of the seven deadly sins in Christian theology.


SIMPLE

He was fired from his job because of his constant sloth.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager complained that the team's collective sloth was the primary reason they missed the project deadline.

COMPLEX

In classical literature, sloth is portrayed not merely as physical laziness but as a spiritual apathy that prevents a person from fulfilling their moral duties.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English slouthe, slewthe (“laziness”), from Old English slǣwþ (“sloth, indolence, laziness, inertness, torpor”), from Proto-West Germanic slaiwiþu, from Proto-Germanic slaiwiþō (“slowness, lateness”), equivalent to slow + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots sleuth (“sloth, slowness”).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the character trait; countable when referring to the slow-moving tropical mammal.

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