Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To stay in a place or be slow in leaving it, often out of reluctance: synonym: stay.
  • intransitive verb To continue or persist.
  • intransitive verb To remain feebly alive for some time before dying.
  • intransitive verb To proceed slowly; saunter.
  • intransitive verb To devote considerable time to something, especially in a leisurely fashion.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make long; prolong; protract; delay; put off; defer.
  • To spend in an inactive or tedious manner; drag: with out, and sometimes away.
  • To remain in a place or a state for an unusual, undue, or unexpected length of time; defer action, movement, decision, etc., either from inclination or necessity; hold back; tarry; delay; loiter.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb obsolete To protract; to draw out.
  • transitive verb To spend or pass in a lingering manner; -- with out.
  • intransitive verb 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.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
  • verb intransitive To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.
  • verb intransitive To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytical thinking or discussion.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb move to and fro
  • verb remain present although waning or gradually dying
  • verb be about
  • verb take one's time; proceed slowly
  • verb leave slowly and hesitantly

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English lengeren, frequentative of lengen, to prolong, from Old English lengan; see del- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

leng "to lengthen, delay" (11-16 centuries), from Old English lengan, probably of Indo-European origin (cognates include Persian لنگ, Albanian ling ("animal charge, ride")).

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Examples

  • He lets the word linger for a while and savors a mouthful of his drink.

    The Redleys Matt Haig 2010

  • He lets the word linger for a while and savors a mouthful of his drink.

    The Redleys Matt Haig 2010

  • He lets the word linger for a while and savors a mouthful of his drink.

    The Redleys Matt Haig 2010

  • He lets the word linger for a while and savors a mouthful of his drink.

    The Redleys Matt Haig 2010

  • While the ghosts of Hitler and Stalin linger in the city 's architectural bones, Berlin' s young generation has chosen to transform the past into something liberating.

    The New German Expressionism Monica Khemsurov 2010

  • And letting negative charges linger is always bad.

    08/20/2004 2004

  • The shadow of a tree upon any house blesses it, weaving with its cool, hypnotic gestures a soothing quiet; but the place, of all human habitations, where it best loves to linger is a village street.

    The Spring of Joy: A Little Book of Healing 1917

  • Europe, moreover, has long memories - and the memory that will linger from the Greek crisis is of a more or less isolated Germany now unwilling to fuel the European integration process in the way it once did.

    openDemocracy Ulrike Guerot 2010

  • It was more stressful than fun so I'll take my time and let some titles linger on a bit for those slow times that usually come afterwards.

    Gaming Nexus 2009

  • It was more stressful than fun so I'll take my time and let some titles linger on a bit for those slow times that usually come afterwards.

    Gaming Nexus 2009

Comments

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  • Reminds me of the Cranberries.

    August 15, 2007

  • "You know I'm such a fool for you

    You got me wrapped around your finger

    Do you have to let it linger?

    Do you have to, do you have to

    Do you have to let it linger?"

    August 29, 2008

  • Perhaps life is very hard for you or a loved one, and you are wondering why God has allowed you or your loved one to linger.

    January 11, 2011

  • The Sight

    Page 338

    Only Blackstar lingered, his eyes burning with anger.

    November 5, 2012