Linger

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪŋɡər/

Definitions of linger

verb to stay in a place longer than necessary, typically because of a reluctance to leave

Example Sentences

A1 The smell of fresh bread lingered in the air.

A2 She lingered at the park, enjoying the warm weather.

B1 The memories of her childhood lingered in her mind.

B2 The taste of the delicious meal lingered on his taste buds.

C1 The impact of the speech lingered long after it was over.

C2 The feeling of nostalgia lingered as she walked through the old neighborhood.

Examples of linger in a Sentence

formal The scent of the flowers seemed to linger in the air long after they had been picked.

informal I told him to hurry up, but he just likes to linger around and take his time.

slang Let's linger at the park for a bit before heading home.

figurative The memories of her childhood would always linger in the back of her mind.

Grammatical Forms of linger

• past tense: lingered
• plural: lingers
• comparative: more lingering
• superlative: most lingering
• present tense: linger
• future tense: will linger
• perfect tense: have lingered
• continuous tense: is lingering
• singular: lingers
• positive degree: linger
• infinitive: to linger
• gerund: lingering
• participle: lingering

Origin and Evolution of linger

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'linger' originated from the Old English word 'lengan' which means to delay or protract.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'linger' has retained its original meaning of delaying or staying longer than necessary, but has also taken on additional connotations of hesitation or reluctance.