Very reluctant or unwilling to do something; not wanting to do it even though you might have to.
From Old English 'lath' (hateful, hostile), possibly related to 'loathe' (to hate). Originally meant hostile or enemy-like, evolving to mean reluctant.
People constantly confuse 'loath' (unwilling) with 'loathe' (to hate), even though they're related words — 'loath' is the reluctance that comes before loathing; you're loath to do something because you loathe it.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.