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Definitions for: Sloth
[n] apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins)
[n] any of several slow-moving arboreal mammals of South and Central America; they hang from branches back downward and feed on leaves and fruits
[n] a disinclination to work or exert yourself
Webster (1913) Definition: Sloth, n. [OE. slouthe, sleuthe, AS. sl?w?, fr. sl[=a]w
slow. See Slow.]
1. Slowness; tardiness.
These cardinals trifle with me; I abhor This
dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome. --Shak.
2. Disinclination to action or labor; sluggishness; laziness;
idleness.
[They] change their course to pleasure, ease, and
sloth. --Milton.
Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears.
--Franklin.
3. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of arboreal
edentates constituting the family Bradypodid[ae], and
the suborder Tardigrada. They have long exserted limbs and
long prehensile claws. Both jaws are furnished with teeth
(see Illust. of Edentata), and the ears and tail are
rudimentary. They inhabit South and Central America and
Mexico.
Note: The three-toed sloths belong to the genera Bradypus
and Arctopithecus, of which several species have been
described. They have three toes on each foot. The
best-known species are collared sloth ({Bradypus
tridactylus}), and the ai (Arctopitheus ai). The
two-toed sloths, consisting the genus Cholopus, have
two toes on each fore foot and three on each hind foot.
The best-known is the unau (Cholopus didactylus) of
South America. See Unau. Another species ({C.
Hoffmanni}) inhabits Central America. Various large
extinct terrestrial edentates, such as Megatherium and
Mylodon, are often called sloths.
Australian, or Native sloth (Zo["o]l.), the koala.
Sloth animalcule (Zo["o]l.), a tardigrade.
Sloth bear (Zo["o]l.), a black or brown long-haired bear
(Melursus ursinus, or labiatus), native of India and
Ceylon; -- called also aswail, labiated bear, and
jungle bear. It is easily tamed and can be taught many
tricks.
Sloth monkey (Zo["o]l.), a loris.
Sloth, v. i.
To be idle. [Obs.] --Gower.
Synonyms: acedia, laziness, slothfulness, tree sloth
See Also: ai, Bradypodidae, Bradypus tridactylus, Choloepus didactylus, Choloepus hoffmanni, deadly sin, disinclination, edentate, family Bradypodidae, hesitancy, hesitation, indisposition, mortal sin, reluctance, three-toed sloth, two-toed sloth, unau
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