▪ I. ‖ ennui, n.
(ɑ̃nɥi)
[a. Fr. ennui, OF. enui:—L. in odio: see annoy, ennoy, which are older adoptions of the same Fr. word.
So far as frequency of use is concerned, the word might be regarded as fully naturalized; but the pronunciation has not been anglicized, there being in fact no Eng. analogy which could serve as a guide.]
The feeling of mental weariness and dissatisfaction produced by want of occupation, or by lack of interest in present surroundings or employments.
| [1667 Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 161 We have hardly any words that do..fully express the French naivete, ennui, bizarre, etc. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. ii. §17 They should prefer doing anthing to the ennui of their own conversation.] 1758 Chesterfield Lett. IV. 117 In less than a month the man, used to business, found that living like a gentleman was dying of ennui. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France II. 388 Muse! prepare some sprightly sallies To divert ennui at Calais. 1801 M. Edgeworth Angelina i. 10 She felt insupportable ennui from the want of books and conversation suited to her taste. 1871 Darwin Desc. Man I. ii. 42 Animals manifestly enjoy excitement and suffer from ennui. |
b. Personified. c. concr. A cause of ennui.
| 1790 C. M. Graham Lett. Educ. 290 It would entirely subdue the dæmon Ennui. 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Cui Bono i, The fiend Ennui awhile consents to pine. 1847 W. E. Forster in T. W. Reid Life (1888) I. vii. 208 We drove to a first-class hotel..a stylish, comfortless temple of ennui. 1849 C. Brontë Shirley vii. 87 Every stitch she put in was an ennui. |
▪ II. ennui, v.
[f. prec. n.; only in pa. pple., which is occas. spelt with y, after Fr. ennuyer.]
trans. To affect with ennui; to bore, weary.
| 1805 Syd. Smith Moral Philos. xviii. (1850) 266 They [animals] rejoice, play, are ennuied as we are. 1808 Edin. Rev. XI. 360 If the common people are ennui'd with the fine acting of Mrs. Siddons. 1865 Cornh. Mag. July 58 The Shoddy lady..ennuied with the superb house and uncongenial surroundings. 1888 Pall Mall G. 20 Aug. 1/1 The Roman public, jaded and ennuyed, found life not worth living without the stimulus of the sight of death. |
Hence ennuying, ppl. a. (rare.)
| 1858 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 388 Evenings..sacred to reading on his part, and mortally ennuying to myself. |