loath

Definition of loath

4 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

adj

Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling. Always followed by a verbal phrase.

“I was loath to return to the office without the Henderson file.”
“Then ſaid Faint-heart, Deliver thy Purſe; but he making no haſte to do it (for he was loth to loſe his Money,) Miſtrust ran up to him, and thruſting his hand into his Pocket, pull'd out thence a bag of Silver.”
“Frankville, whoſe only Fault was raſhneſs, grew almoſt wild at the Recital of ſo unexpected a Misfortune, he knew not for a good while what to believe, loath he was to ſuſpect the Count, but loather to ſuſpect Camilla, yet flew into extremities of Rage againſt both, by turns: […]”
“"And thereupon I pledge thee," said the young nobleman, "which on any other argument I were loth to do—thinking of Ned as somewhat the cut of a villain."”
“Of all the people in the world our countrymen are the loathest to give away their money without some reasonable quid pro quo; […]”

See all 4 definitions

adj

Averse, disinclined; reluctant, unwilling. Always followed by a verbal phrase.

“I was loath to return to the office without the Henderson file.”
“Then ſaid Faint-heart, Deliver thy Purſe; but he making no haſte to do it (for he was loth to loſe his Money,) Miſtrust ran up to him, and thruſting his hand into his Pocket, pull'd out thence a bag of Silver.”
“Frankville, whoſe only Fault was raſhneſs, grew almoſt wild at the Recital of ſo unexpected a Misfortune, he knew not for a good while what to believe, loath he was to ſuſpect the Count, but loather to ſuſpect Camilla, yet flew into extremities of Rage againſt both, by turns: […]”
“"And thereupon I pledge thee," said the young nobleman, "which on any other argument I were loth to do—thinking of Ned as somewhat the cut of a villain."”
“Of all the people in the world our countrymen are the loathest to give away their money without some reasonable quid pro quo; […]”
(obsolete)Angry, hostile.
(obsolete)Loathsome, unpleasant.

verb

(alt-of, obsolete)Obsolete spelling of loathe.

“To Scriptures read they muſt their leaſure frame, / Then loath they will both luſt and wanton love; […]”
“[…] O Hypocrites! ye hope for Enjoyment of Chriſt, but be perſwaded of it, Chriſt ſhall eternally loath you, and ye ſhall eternally loath Chriſt: […]”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

Etymology

From Middle English lōth (“loath; averse, hateful”), from Old English lāð, lāþ (“evil; loathsome”), or Old Norse leið, leiðr (“uncomfortable; tired”) from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz (“loath; hostile; sad, sorry”), ultimately from…

See full etymology

From Middle English lōth (“loath; averse, hateful”), from Old English lāð, lāþ (“evil; loathsome”), or Old Norse leið, leiðr (“uncomfortable; tired”) from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz (“loath; hostile; sad, sorry”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyt- (“to do something abhorrent or hateful”). The word is cognate with Danish led (“disgusting, loathsome; nasty”), Dutch leed (“sad; (Belgium) angry”), French laid (“ugly; morally corrupt”), Catalan lleig (“ugly”), Icelandic leiður (“annoyed, vexed; sad; (archaic or poetic) annoying, wearisome”), Italian laido (“filthy, foul; obscene”), Old Frisian leed, Old High German leid (Middle High German leit, modern German leid (“uncomfortable”), Leid (“grief, sorrow, woe; affliction, suffering; harm, injury; wrong”)), Old Saxon lêð, lēth (“evil person or thing”), Swedish led (“bored; tired; (archaic) disgusting, loathsome; evil”).

Anagrams of loath

5 plays · some not in Scrabble

Best play altho 8 points

Words you can make from loath

31 playable · top: ALTHO (8 pts)

Best play altho 8 points

5-letter words

1 word

LOTAH 8 pts

4-letter words

9 words

3-letter words

10 words

2-letter words

10 words

Hooks

1 extension · 1 back

A single letter you can add to loath to make another valid word.

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LOATHE 9 pts