Definition

Noun: * A habitually lazy, idle, or inactive person; someone who avoids work or exertion.

Usage

• The word "sluggard" is a somewhat old-fashioned or literary term. It is a strong, disapproving label for a person, implying chronic laziness and a lack of motivation or energy.
• It is used as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• "The proverb warns that the sluggard will not plow in autumn and will beg during harvest." (This illustrates the consequence of laziness.)
• "He was a sluggard who spent all day on the sofa, avoiding any form of chore." (This describes a person's habitual behavior.)
• "Rise up, you sluggard! The day is half gone." (This is a direct, reprimanding address.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often found in moralistic, proverbial, or instructive contexts, such as fables, religious texts, or parental admonishments.
• It can be used metaphorically to describe something perceived as slow-moving or inactive.
  • Example: "The sluggard economy showed no signs of recovery." (Here, "sluggard" functions as an attributive noun describing the economy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sluggish (adjective): Slow-moving or inactive; lacking energy or speed.
  • Example: "After lunch, I felt sluggish and unproductive."
• Slug (noun): Informally, a lazy, slow-moving person. Also, a slow-moving mollusk or a bullet.
  • Example: "He's such a slug on weekend mornings."

Synonyms

• Idler: A person who avoids work.
• Loafer: A person who idles time away.
• Slacker: A person who evades duties or work.
• Layabout (chiefly British): A habitually idle person.

Antonyms

• Go-getter: An ambitious, enterprising person.
• Hustler: A person who works energetically and aggressively.
• Workaholic: A person who works compulsively.

Idioms and Proverbs

• "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!": A famous biblical proverb (Proverbs 6:6) directly addressing a lazy person, using the industrious ant as an example to follow.

Noun

1. an idle slothful person