Definition: neglect

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

neglect
     n 1: lack of attention and due care [syn: disregard]
     2: the state of something that has been unused and neglected;
        "the house was in a terrible state of neglect" [syn: disuse]
     3: lack of care and attention [syn: disregard]
     4: the trait of neglecting responsibilities and lacking concern
        [syn: negligence, neglectfulness]
     5: failure to act with the prudence that a reasonable person
        would exercise under the same circumstances [syn: negligence,
         carelessness, nonperformance]
     v 1: leave undone or leave out; "How could I miss that typo?";
          "The workers on the conveyor belt miss one out of ten"
          [syn: pretermit, omit, drop, miss, leave out,
          overlook, overleap] [ant: attend to]
     2: fail to do something; leave something undone; "She failed to
        notice that her child was no longer in his crib"; "The
        secretary failed to call the customer and the company lost
        the account" [syn: fail]
     3: fail to attend to; "he neglects his children"
     4: give little or no attention to; "Disregard the errors" [syn:
         ignore, disregard]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Neglect \Neg*lect"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Neglected; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Neglecting.] [L. neglectus, p. p. of neglegere
   (negligere) to disregard, neglect, the literal sense prob.
   neing, not to pick up; nec not, nor (fr. ne not + -que, a
   particle akin to Goth. -h, -uh, and prob. to E. who; cf.
   Goth. nih nor) + L. legere to pick up, gather. See No,
   adv., Legend, Who.]
   1. Not to attend to with due care or attention; to forbear
      one's duty in regard to; to suffer to pass unimproved,
      unheeded, undone, etc.; to omit; to disregard; to slight;
      as, to neglect duty or business; to neglect to pay debts.

            I hope My absence doth neglect no great designs.
                                                  --Shak.

            This, my long suffering and my day of grace, Those
            who neglect and scorn shall never taste. --Milton.

   2. To omit to notice; to forbear to treat with attention or
      respect; to slight; as, to neglect strangers.

   Syn: To slight; overlook; disregard; disesteem; contemn. See
        Slight.

Neglect \Neg*lect"\, n. [L. neglectus. See Neglect, v.]
   1. Omission of proper attention; avoidance or disregard of
      duty, from heedlessness, indifference, or willfulness;
      failure to do, use, or heed anything; culpable disregard;
      as, neglect of business, of health, of economy.

            To tell thee sadly, shepherd, without blame, Or our
            neglect, we lost her as we came.      --Milton.

   2. Omission if attention or civilities; slight; as, neglect
      of strangers.

   3. Habitual carelessness; negligence.

            Age breeds neglect in all.            --Denham.

   4. The state of being disregarded, slighted, or neglected.

            Rescue my poor remains from vile neglect. --Prior.

   Syn: Negligence; inattention; disregard; disesteem;
        remissness; indifference. See Negligence.