These cardinals trifle with me; I abhor This
dilatory sloth and tricks of Rome. --Shak.
2. Disinclination to action or labor; sluggishness; laziness;
idleness.
[They] change their course to pleasure, ease, and
sloth. --Milton.
Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears.
--Franklin.
3. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of arboreal
edentates constituting the family {Bradypodid[ae]}, and
the suborder Tardigrada. They have long exserted limbs and
long prehensile claws. Both jaws are furnished with teeth
(see Illust. of {Edentata}), and the ears and tail are
rudimentary. They inhabit South and Central America and
Mexico.
Note: The three-toed sloths belong to the genera {Bradypus}
and {Arctopithecus}, of which several species have been
described. They have three toes on each foot. The
best-known species are collared sloth ({Bradypus
tridactylus}), and the ai ({Arctopitheus ai}). The
two-toed sloths, consisting the genus {Cholopus}, have
two toes on each fore foot and three on each hind foot.
The best-known is the unau ({Cholopus didactylus}) of
South America. See {Unau}. Another species ({C.
Hoffmanni}) inhabits Central America. Various large
extinct terrestrial edentates, such as Megatherium and
Mylodon, are often called sloths.
{Australian, or Native} {sloth} (Zo["o]l.), the koala.
{Sloth animalcule} (Zo["o]l.), a tardigrade.
{Sloth bear} (Zo["o]l.), a black or brown long-haired bear
({Melursus ursinus, or labiatus}), native of India and
Ceylon; -- called also {aswail}, {labiated bear}, and
{jungle bear}. It is easily tamed and can be taught many
tricks.
{Sloth monkey} (Zo["o]l.), a loris.