Loiter

Pronunciation: /ˈlɔɪtər/

Definitions of loiter

verb to stand or wait around without any purpose or reason

Example Sentences

A1 Please do not loiter in front of the store.

A2 The security guard asked the teenagers to stop loitering in the parking lot.

B1 It is not safe to loiter in this area at night.

B2 The signs clearly state that loitering is not allowed on these premises.

C1 The group of protestors decided to loiter outside the government building to make their voices heard.

C2 Despite the rain, the paparazzi continued to loiter outside the celebrity's hotel, hoping for a photo opportunity.

Examples of loiter in a Sentence

formal The security guard warned the individuals not to loiter in front of the store.

informal Hey, let's not loiter around here for too long, we might get in trouble.

slang Don't loiter in this area, it's not safe.

figurative His thoughts seemed to loiter around the idea of quitting his job.

Grammatical Forms of loiter

• past tense: loitered
• plural: loiters
• comparative: more loiter
• superlative: most loiter
• present tense: loiter
• future tense: will loiter
• perfect tense: have loitered
• continuous tense: is loitering
• singular: loiter
• positive degree: loiter
• infinitive: to loiter
• gerund: loitering
• participle: loitered

Origin and Evolution of loiter

First Known Use: 1300 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'loiter' originated from Middle English 'loitren' which meant to be slow or idle.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'loiter' evolved to also carry connotations of lingering aimlessly or wasting time, often associated with being in a place without purpose or permission.