Linger

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪŋɡɚ/

Definitions

1. To stay in a location beyond the normal or expected time ; to continue to exist or have an effect for a prolonged period
2. To delay leaving a place, often due to attachment or reluctance ; to remain present or continue influencing after the initial cause has passed
3. To remain around or hover in one area without immediate purpose ; to maintain a presence or influence that does not quickly fade away

Etymology: "Linger" is a frequentative of an older verb "lengen," meaning "to stay, dwell, tarry," so its core idea is repeated or drawn-out staying. The stem goes back to Old English "lengan," which meant "to lengthen, delay, extend." In other words, the verb began as a word about making something longer in time or space, and lingering is simply that stretching applied to a person's stay. The root is the same one behind "long." Old English "lengan" belongs to a Proto-Germanic verb "langijan," and close relatives survive across the family: Dutch "lengen," German "längen," and Icelandic "lengja," all meaning "to lengthen." English kept the sense of extension in its "long" adjective while the verb narrowed toward delay and hanging about. The "-er" ending is the frequentative suffix, which signals repeated or prolonged action, as in "flutter" or "wander." Middle English "lengeren" therefore described staying on again and again, or staying on at length, and the modern sense of staying longer than expected keeps that same notion of time being stretched out.

Synonyms: tarry, dawdle, loiter, remain, stay

Antonyms: depart, leave, rush, hasten, exit