verb. (old: now recognised).—To sham illness; to shirk duty.
1890. Century Dictionary, s.v. MALINGER … from F. malingrer, a slang word meaning ‘suffer’ … formerly applied to beggars who feigned to be sick or injured in order to excite compassion.
1895. Pall Mall Gazette, No. 9542, p. 1. ‘Administering Angels.’ The answer is comparatively simple: because the Shadow understands English politics, and thought to gain by MALINGERING.
