Protract

Pronunciation: /prəˈtrækt/

Definitions of protract

verb to prolong or extend in time or space

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher asked the students to protract their arms and legs during the warm-up exercises.

A2 The construction project was protracted due to bad weather conditions.

B1 The negotiations were protracted as both parties struggled to reach a compromise.

B2 The legal battle protracted for months before finally reaching a settlement.

C1 The war was protracted over several years, causing immense suffering for both sides.

C2 The political debate was protracted as each side tried to gain the upper hand.

Examples of protract in a Sentence

formal The negotiations have been protracted due to the complexity of the issues involved.

informal The project is taking longer than expected to finish because it's being protracted.

slang The meeting got protracted because everyone kept going off on tangents.

figurative Her sadness seemed to protract indefinitely, lingering long after the initial event.

Grammatical Forms of protract

• past tense: protracted
• plural: protracts
• comparative: more protracted
• superlative: most protracted
• present tense: protract
• future tense: will protract
• perfect tense: has protracted
• continuous tense: is protracting
• singular: protracts
• positive degree: protract
• infinitive: to protract
• gerund: protracting
• participle: protracted

Origin and Evolution of protract

First Known Use: 1542 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'protract' originated from the Latin word 'protractus', which means 'drawn out'.

Evolution of the word: Initially, 'protract' was used in a literal sense to mean extending or lengthening something. Over time, it evolved to also mean prolonging or delaying a process or event.