listful

English

Etymology 1

list +‎ -ful

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪstfʊl/

Adjective

listful (comparative more listful, superlative most listful)

1. Attentive, listening.
   • 1853, James Dodd (farmer.), William Antliff, The village; and other poems, page 37:

     The boundless, — infinite, — Almighty Power, Is ceaseless rolling on our listful ears — Through all th' immensity which every where appears.

   • 2003, Robert S. Levine, Martin R. Delany: A Documentary Reader, page 100:

     Like the former, this meeting was equally listful and attentive, breaking up in the best of order and apparent satisfaction.

   • 2012, Martin Robison Delany, The Condition, Elevation, Emigration, and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States:

     These are historical facts that cannot be controverted, and therefore proclaim in tones more eloquently than thunder, the listful attention of every oppressed man, woman, and child under the government of the people of the United States of America.

2. Using or based on lists.
   • 1986, Dissertation Abstracts International: The sciences and engineering:

     Unfortunately, listful style can be very inefficient. This is due to the space required to store the intermediate lists, and the time required to traverse them.

   • 2009, Carl Wahlstedt, Brokenwing of an Angel, page 152:

     True joy permeates from the commander of common grace, his matrix of pleasure flows throughout with a listful liberation of joy.

   • 2019, Mary Hartley, Power of Lists:

     If you embrace the philosophy of listful thinking, you can get your life back— because thinking in terms of bitesized goals is much easier than biting off a Guy Fierisized chunk.

3. (rare) Tending to list or lean.
   • 1982, Bill Reed, Ihe: A Novel, page 152:

     Leaving the coach sitting there horseless of shaft and decidedly listful at the front end.

Related terms

• listen

Etymology 2

list +‎ -ful

Noun

listful (plural listfuls or listsful)

1. As many as fill a list.
   • 1956, Arizona Cattlelog - Volume 12, page 16:

     Tony had the rest of the day off so he went on to Winslow, for a haircut, parts for a generator, several listsful of groceries and miscellaneous other items.

   • 1995, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means, Tax provisions in the Contract with America designed to strengthen the American family:

     And these loving couples and individuals are waiting by the listful to adopt children regardless of race; children with terminal illnesses, like AIDS; and children with special medical needs, like Downs Syndrome and Spina Bifida.

   • 1998, Oz Clarke, Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 1999, page 177:

     The Medoc peninsula north of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Gironde river produces a good listful of the world's most famous reds.

   • 2012, Donald Asher, Graduate Admissions Essays:

     As a rough guess, activities are worth one quarter of a grade point; maybe a half point in truly extraordinary cases. It is better to devote yourself to your studies than to explain your weak grade-point average with a listful of activities.