"To list" can be a synonym for "to desire." Under what circumstances would one choose one rather than the other?
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2The only thing that comes close to that is an archaic sense of list that dates to before the 12th century. As such, it would never normally be used that way currently. I'm curious to know where you might have encountered such a use.– Jason BassfordCommented Jun 4, 2020 at 3:24
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David Foster Wallace used the word "list" in this interview: youtu.be/dLHoEQSoGLs at 1:14 (start at 0:40 for context). I've also heard "listless" a couple times. There is only one example I remember clearly: there's a poem I read which romanticized nature and was also critical of modernity for both the destruction of nature and for the (apparently related?) alienation of us all. The poem contained the line "even the birds here are listless."– Brad TuttleCommented Jun 4, 2020 at 3:53
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Listless is still in (reasonably) common use.– nnnnnnCommented Jun 4, 2020 at 4:16
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2 Answers
Merriam-Webster does not list a verb form of list that has the meaning of desire. It does list a noun form with the meaning inclination, craving; but it is marked archaic.
Lexico has list in verb form as meaning want, like; and also marks this use as archaic.
The American Heritage Dictionary agrees with Merriam-Webster that only the noun list is a synonym of desire, and also marks it as archaic.
So, it seems that one would only use list in place of desire if one were writing historical fiction or similar.
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In the King James Bible, John 3:8 begins with the words"The wind bloweth where it listeth." More modern versions have 'where it wishes' or 'pleases'. Commented Jun 4, 2020 at 8:02
David Foster Wallace uses the term ‘list’ in this interview in a conventional sense: the enumeration of things denied in childhood.
When I first read your question, I thought you’d meant to type ‘lust,’ which is a similar to impassioned sexual desire.
Listless may have come from the archaic use of ‘list’ as desire.
