linger
/ˈlɪŋɡə/ · ling·ger
verb
- To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so; to loiter. She lingered in the store, browsing through the racks of clothes.
- To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually. The once-thriving species began to linger on the brink of extinction.
- To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion. The professor lingered on the topic, encouraging the students to think critically about the issue.
verb (often followed by on)
- To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion. The team lingered on the strategy, debating the best course of action.
Did you know? The word 'linger' has been used in various contexts, including literature and music. In the novel 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character Nick Carraway describes the way people linger in the past, unable to move on from their memories.