neglect

[ni-glekt]

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verb (used with object)

to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight: The public neglected his genius for many years.

to be remiss in the care or treatment of: to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.

to omit, through indifference or carelessness: to neglect to reply to an invitation.

to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.): to neglect the household chores.

to fail to take or use: to neglect no precaution.

noun

an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence: The neglect of the property was shameful.

the fact or state of being neglected: a beauty marred by neglect.

Nearby words

Origin of neglect

1520–30; < Latin neglēctus, variant of neclēctus (past participle of neglegere, neclegere to disregard, ignore, slight), equivalent to nec not + leg-, base of legere to pick up + -tus past participle suffix

SYNONYMS FOR neglect

1. ignore. See slight. 6, 7. default, inattention, heedlessness. Neglect, dereliction, negligence, remissness imply carelessness, failure, or some important omission in the performance of one's duty, a task, etc. Neglect and negligence are occasionally interchangeable, but neglect commonly refers to an instance, negligence to the habit or trait, of failing to attend to or perform what is expected or required: gross neglect of duty; negligence in handling traffic problems. Dereliction implies culpable or reprehensible neglect or failure in the performance of duty: dereliction in a position of responsibility. Remissness implies the omission or the careless or indifferent performance of a duty: remissness in filing a report on the accident.

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ANTONYMS FOR neglect

6. attention, care.

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Related forms

ne·glect·ed·ly, adverbne·glect·ed·ness, nounne·glect·er, ne·glec·tor, nouno·ver·ne·glect, verb (used with object)

pre·ne·glect, verb (used with object)qua·si-ne·glect·ed, adjectiveself-ne·glect, adjectiveself-ne·glect·ing, adjectiveun·ne·glect·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for neglect

Those who neglect or mistrust him may be punished--indeed may deserve to be.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up|Tom Boswell|September 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Police in Hampshire must now decide whether to extradite the Kings back to England and file kidnapping and neglect charges.
Desperate Parents Arrested After Fleeing Britain For Other Treatment Options for Son in Europe|Barbie Latza Nadeau|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now their son has been taken from them and they face criminal charges of neglect and child endangerment.
Desperate Parents Arrested After Fleeing Britain For Other Treatment Options for Son in Europe|Barbie Latza Nadeau|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Of course people need to protect children above all else, and neglect and abuse should not be tolerated.
Postpartum Stigma: Why My Patient Committed Suicide|Jean Kim|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Presumably some are afraid to call 911 because they are afraid of being charged with neglect.
Is It Wrong for Parents to Lock Up Their Disabled Kids?|Elizabeth Picciuto|August 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is another dingy moth, whose general appearance is so unattractive that the tyro might be inclined to neglect it.
Butterflies and Moths|William S. Furneaux
As their homes by neglect have grown shabby and squalid, so their industry has become calculating and sordid.
Change in the Village|(AKA George Bourne) George Sturt
The spirit of his father was in him, and the Friend to whom his father had left him did not neglect the trust.
Tom Brown's School Days|Thomas Hughes
Neglect of the connection between smoke pipe and flue or of the flue itself.
Farmers' Bulletin 1230 - Chimneys & Fireplaces|A. M. Daniels
No doubt you might have had a worse reason, but play is not a good reason for neglect of dooty.
Life in the Red Brigade|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for neglect

neglect

verb (tr)

to fail to give due care, attention, or time toto neglect a child

to fail (to do something) through thoughtlessness or carelessnesshe neglected to tell her

to ignore or disregardshe neglected his frantic signals

noun

lack of due care or attention; negligencethe child starved through neglect

the act or an instance of neglecting or the state of being neglected

Derived Formsneglecter or neglector, noun

Word Origin for neglect

C16: from Latin neglegere to neglect, from nec not + legere to select

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for neglect

neglect

1520s, from Latin neglectus, past participle of neglegere "to make light of, disregard, be indifferent to, not heed, not trouble oneself about," literally "not to pick up," variant of neclegere, from Old Latin nec "not" (see deny) + legere "pick up, select" (see lecture (n.)). Related: Neglected; neglecting.

neglect

1580s, from neglect (v.) or from Latin neglectus "a neglecting," noun use of past participle of neglegere.

neglect

verb (used with object)

noun

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Origin of neglect

Examples from the Web for neglect

neglect

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for neglect

neglect

neglect