linger

English

Etymology

From Middle English lenger, lengeren, frequentative of lengen, from Old English lengan, from Proto-Germanic *langijanan (compare Dutch lengen), probably related to the root of long.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪŋɡə(r)

Verb

linger (third-person singular simple present lingers, present participle lingering, simple past and past participle lingered)

1. (intransitive) To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
   • 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, ch. 15:

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

   • 1891, Edith Wharton, "Mrs. Manstey's View":

     She lingered in the window.

   • 2011 April 25, Alice Park, "Upgrading the Disaster," Time:

     It takes into account . . . predictions of how long radioactive contaminants will linger in the soil and water near the nuclear facility.

2. (intransitive) To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.
   • 1887, Thomas Hardy, The Woodlanders, ch. 14:

     He lingered through the day, and died that evening as the sun went down.

   • 1904, Andrew Lang, "Asmund and Signy" in The Brown Fairy Book:

     During his absence the queen fell ill, and after lingering for some time she died.

3. (intransitive, often followed by on) To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytical thinking or discussion.
   • 2011 April 14, Michael Scherer, "Trump's Political Reality Show: Will the Donald Really Run for President?," Time:

     Trump doesn't linger on the poll.

Derived terms

Terms derived from linger

lingerer

linger on

Translations

stay or remain in a place or situation

• Catalan: romandre (ca)
• Dutch: treuzelen (nl)
• Finnish: viipyä, viipyillä, viivytellä
• French: s'attarder
• German: herumlungern (de), verzögern (de), Zeit brauchen (de), verweilen (de), bleiben (de)
• Latin: sedeo (la)

• Portuguese: ficar, permanecer (Brazil)
• Romanian: sta (ro), rămâne (ro), lenevi (ro)
• Russian: задерживаться
• Spanish: permanecer (es), demorar (es)
• Swedish: dröja kvar (sv), söla (sv), bestå (sv), leva kvar (sv), fortleva (sv), släntra (sv)
• Turkish: durmak (tr), oyalanmak (tr)

remain alive or existent

• Catalan: perviure (ca)

• Dutch: aanslepen (nl)
• Dutch: aanslepen (nl)
• Spanish: pervivir (es)

consider or contemplate

• Catalan: rumiar (ca)

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French

Etymology

linge +‎ -ier (with elision of -i- after palatal)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /lɛ̃ʒe/

Noun

linger m (plural lingers; feminine lingère, plural lingères)

1. linenkeeper

Anagrams

• ligner