linger

 
Pronunciation: /ˈlɪŋgə/

verb

[no object]
  • stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave: she lingered in the yard, enjoying the warm sunshine figurative she let her eyes linger on him suggestively
  • (linger over) spend a long time over (something): she lingered over her meal
  • be slow to disappear or die: the tradition seems to linger on we are thankful that she didn’t linger on and suffer

Derivatives

lingerer

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'dwell, abide'): frequentative of obsolete leng 'prolong', of Germanic origin; related to German längen 'make long(er)', also to long1