loath (2009-04-13)

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation: ['loth]

Definition: Reluctant, unwilling.

Usage: Reluctance is such a regular part of life, it's nice to have a synonym at your fingertips: "I'm loath to sample Hilda's cooking again, after last year's mass hospital admission." If someone exhibits surprising willingness, drop a "nothing loath" into the start of your sentence: "Nothing loath, she got straight back on that horse every time it threw her."

Suggested Usage: "Loath" is occasionally seen spelled "loth," but you are making an error that will slip by your spellchecker if you confuse it with the etymologically related verb "loathe" ['lodh], meaning to detest. "Loath" differs from its synonyms "reluctant" and "unwilling" in not being used as a stand-alone adjective—you may refer to an unwilling mule, but not a loath mule. Instead, you must describe the mule as "loath to" do something—in this case, walk. "Loath" also forms an unusual opposite in the phrase "nothing loath," meaning "not at all unwilling." The state of being loath is "loathness."

Etymology: From Middle English loth, "displeasing," from Old English lath, "hateful, disgusting." The Old English strength of feeling has been preserved in "loathe," while the Middle English moderation is evident in "loath." Both trace their origin to Proto-Indo-European *leit- "to detest" which has mutated in other languages to give both the French laid "ugly," and the German Leid "sorrow."