linger
verbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈlɪŋɡə//
- United States//ˈlɪŋɡɚ//
- //ˈliŋɡɚ//
To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
verb
- 1
To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
Still more foole I ſhall appeare / By the time I linger here
His tone lingered in the air, almost like the tone of a musical instrument.
She lingered in the window until the windy sunset died in bat-colored dusk; then, going to bed, she lay sleepless all night.
Stars fading but I linger on, dear / Still craving your kiss / I'm longin' to linger till dawn, dear / Just saying this
- 2
To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.
He lingered through the day, and died that evening as the sun went down.
During his absence the queen fell ill, and after lingering for some time she died.
- 3
To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion.
Trump doesn't linger on the poll.
Etymology
From Middle English lengeren, frequentative of lengen (“to stay, dwell, tarry”), from Old English lenġan (“to lengthen, delay, extend”), from Proto-West Germanic *langijan, from Proto-Germanic *langijaną (compare West Frisian lingje (“to linger”), Dutch lengen, German längen, Icelandic lengja (“to lengthen”)), related to the root of English long. Equivalent to linge or long + -er (frequentative verb suffix).
Forms
- past tense
- lingered
- past participle
- lingered
- present participle
- lingering
- third person singular
- lingers
linger · To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
Linger · A surname.lingerie · Underwear or nightclothes (typically women's), especially…lingering · That which lingers; a remnant.