Linger

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: lin=ger

CIDE DICTIONARY

Linger, v. i. [OE. lengen to tarry, AS. lengan to prolong, put off, fr. lang long. Long, a.].

 To delay; to loiter; to remain or wait long; to be slow or reluctant in parting or moving; to be slow in deciding; to be in suspense; to hesitate.  [1913 Webster]
"Nor cast one longing, lingering look behind."  [1913 Webster]
"Perhaps thou linger'st, in deep thoughts detained."

Syn. -- To loiter; lag; saunter; delay; tarry; stop; hesitate.

Linger, v. t. 

•  To protract; to draw out.  [1913 Webster]

  "She lingers my desires."  [1913 Webster]
•  To spend or pass in a lingering manner; -- with out; as, to linger out one's days on a sick bed.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Linger, v.intr.
1 a be slow or reluctant to depart. b stay about. c (foll. by over, on, etc.) dally (lingered over dinner; lingered on what they said).
2 (esp. of an illness) be protracted.
3 (foll. by on) (of a dying person or custom) be slow in dying; drag on feebly.

Derivative

lingerer n. lingeringly adv.

Etymology

ME lenger, frequent. of leng f. OE lengan f. Gmc, rel. to LENGTHEN

THESAURUS

Linger

abide, amble, await, bide, bide the issue, carry on, cease not, continue, crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, delay, diddle, dillydally, dither, doodle, drag, drag along, drag on, drift, dwell on, elaborate, endure, fall behind, falter, flag, get behind, go along, go on, goof off, halt, hang about, hang around, hang back, hang on, harp on, hold everything, hold on, hold steady, hold your horses, idle, jog on, keep going, keep on, labor, lag, linger behind, linger on, loiter, lollygag, mark time, mope, mosey, muck, never cease, pause, persevere, persist, piddle, poke, procrastinate, put off, remain, run on, shilly-shally, sit tight, sit up, slog on, stagger on, stay, stay on, stay up, stick around, straggle, stroll, survive, take time, tarry, temporize, trail, trail behind, wait, wait a minute, wait and see, waste time, wear on

ROGET THESAURUS

Linger

Lateness

VB be late, tarry, wait, stay, bide, take time, dawdle, linger, loiter, bide one's time, take one's time, gain time, hang fire, stand over, lie over, put off, defer, delay, lay over, suspend, table, shift off, stave off, waive, retard, remand, postpone, adjourn, procrastinate, dally, prolong, protract, spin out, draw out, lengthen out, stretch out, prorogue, keep back, tide over, push to the last, drive to the last, let the matter stand over, reserve, temporize, consult one's pillow, sleep on it, lose an opportunity, be kept waiting, dance attendance, kick one's heels, cool one's heels, faire antichambre, wait impatiently, await, sit up, sit up at night.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.