linger

CEFRB2

/ˈlɪŋɡɚ/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To stay somewhere longer than necessary or expected.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion.

Examples

  • Memories of past love can linger much longer than expected.

  • Fadil didn't linger in the area.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
4

Also pronounced

  • /ˈliŋɡɚ/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.

  2. To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.

More examples

In context

  • I think I'll just linger awhile.

  • His tone lingered in the air, almost like the tone of a musical instrument.

  • Still more foole I ſhall appeare / By the time I linger here

Synonyms

Quick test

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After the meeting, several colleagues chose to blank in the hallway to chat.

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Nearby

Origin

verb

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).