neglect

[ni-glekt] /nɪˈglɛkt/
verb (used with object)
1.
to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight:
The public neglected his genius for many years.
2.
to be remiss in the care or treatment of:
to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance.
3.
to omit, through indifference or carelessness:
to neglect to reply to an invitation.
4.
to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.):
to neglect the household chores.
5.
to fail to take or use:
to neglect no precaution.
noun
6.
an act or instance of neglecting; disregard; negligence:
The neglect of the property was shameful.
7.
the fact or state of being neglected:
a beauty marred by neglect.
Origin
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
Related forms
neglectedly, adverb
neglectedness, noun
neglecter, neglector, noun
overneglect, verb (used with object)
preneglect, verb (used with object)
quasi-neglected, adjective
self-neglect, adjective
self-neglecting, adjective
unneglected, adjective
Synonyms
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.
Antonyms
6. attention, care.
Examples from the web for neglected
  • There is a neglected aspect to efforts to eliminate poverty: industry.
  • Continuing education, long neglected in academe, is finally stepping into the limelight.
  • More urgent infrastructure investment is being neglected.
  • Simple measures keep floors from getting ground-in dirt or neglected spills that call for chemical cleaners.
  • The academic library died alone, largely neglected and forgotten by a world that once revered it as the heart of the university.
  • Meanwhile the economic and political one is weedy and neglected.
  • The polar regions are frequently neglected in discussions of the environment, but they shouldn't be.
  • There's one reason for rough play you neglected to mention, that it's fun.
  • Our scientists justifiably feel mistreated and neglected on important policy matters.
  • Sadly, the authorities neglected to publish many new textbooks.
British Dictionary definitions for neglected

neglect

/nɪˈɡlɛkt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to fail to give due care, attention, or time to: to neglect a child
2.
to fail (to do something) through thoughtlessness or carelessness: he neglected to tell her
3.
to ignore or disregard: she neglected his frantic signals
noun
4.
lack of due care or attention; negligence: the child starved through neglect
5.
the act or an instance of neglecting or the state of being neglected
Derived Forms
neglecter, neglector, noun
Word Origin
C16: from Latin neglegere to neglect, from nec not + legere to select
Word Origin and History for neglected
adj.

"not treated with proper attention," c.1600, past participle adjective from neglect (v.).

neglect

v.

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.

n.

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