loath — reluctant; unwilling to do something
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: reluctant; unwilling to do something
Pronunciation (IPA): /loʊθ/
Example Sentences
- My cat is loath to take a bath, hiding under the bed whenever I bring out the shampoo.
- She was loath to throw away her old textbooks, even though she graduated five years ago.
- I'm loath to eat vegetables, but my mom says I'll turn into a potato if I don't.
loath
ADJECTIVE[/loʊθ/]
reluctant; unwilling to do something
She was loath to jump into the freezing lake despite her friends' cheering.
Stuck low in earth, too loath to rise up!
Though loath to take the oath, it's needed for growth!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'lāth' meaning hateful or loathsome, derived from Proto-Germanic roots related to disgust and aversion. The word's meaning shifted over time from 'hateful' to 'reluctant or unwilling.'
Breakdown
loath (Old English lāth, from Proto-Germanic *laiþaz meaning hateful/disgusting) - a single morpheme with no productive affixes in modern English
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat is loath to take a bath, hiding under the bed whenever I bring out the shampoo.”
“She was loath to throw away her old textbooks, even though she graduated five years ago.”
“I'm loath to eat vegetables, but my mom says I'll turn into a potato if I don't.”
“The company was loath to reduce prices during the economic downturn.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.