loathe
verbUK /ˈləʊð/ · US /ˈloʊð/
Etymology From Middle English lothe, from Old English lāþian, from Proto-West Germanic *laiþēn, from Proto-Germanic *laiþāną. Cognate with Old Norse leiðask ( > Danish ledes, Icelandic leiðast, all reflexive), German Leid.
1
To detest, hate, or revile (someone or something).
- I loathe scrubbing toilets.
- I absolutely loathe this place.
4 more examples
- Loathing the honeyed cakes, I long for bread.a. 1667, Abraham Cowley, Of Agriculture:
- To Scriptures read they muſt their leaſure frame, / Then loath they will both luſt and wanton love; […]1576, George Whetstone, “The Castle of Delight: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC, page 20:
- […] O Hypocrites! ye hope for Enjoyment of Chriſt, but be perſwaded of it, Chriſt ſhall eternally loath you, and ye ſhall eternally loath Chriſt: […]1736, Andrew Gray, “Sermon VI. Acts xxvi. 18. …”, in Great and Precious Promises: or, Some Sermons Concerning the Promises, and the Right Application thereof. […], Glasgow: Printed by William Duncan, […], →OCLC, page 115:
- Quick-loving hearts, I thought, may quickly loathe1850, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Sonnet XXXII”, in Sonnets from the Portuguese:
2
Obsolete To induce or inspire disgust (in a person)
- How heartily he serves me! his face loathes one, But look upon his care, who would not love him?1622 (first performance), Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, The Changeling: […], London: […] [Thomas Newcombe] for Humphrey Moseley, […], published 1653, →OCLC, Act V, signature H2, verso:
- Derived terms
- loathable, loather, loathe-worthy, loathing, loathsome, self-loathing