loiter
/ˈlɔɪtə
/verb [no object, with adverbial of place]
1Stand or wait around without apparent purpose: she saw Mary loitering near the cloakrooms...
- My only other complaint was the over-attentive waiters, who always seemed to be loitering somewhere nearby, waiting for something to happen or checking that everything was fine.
- It turns out Risaku's mere hunch became reality and an assassin stood there, loitering in the doorway.
- You're standing here loitering about in a very suspicious manner.
Synonyms
linger, potter, wait, skulk;
loaf, lounge, idle, laze, waste time, kill time, while away time
informal hang around/round
British informal hang about, mooch about/around
archaic or literary tarry
1.1 [with adverbial of direction] Walk slowly and with no apparent purpose; dawdle: the weather had tempted them to loiter along the banks of the Cherwell...
- Alabaster couples loitered along the garden path, handsome, whole and serene.
Synonyms
dawdle, dally, stroll, saunter, loll, go slowly, take one's time, go/move at a snail's pace, drag one's feet, delay
informal dilly-dally, mosey
British informal mooch
Phrases
loiter with intent
Derivatives
loiterer
/ noun ...- They look for odd or suspicious behavior: heavy clothes on a hot day, loiterers without luggage, anyone observing security methods.
- Occasionally some loiterers try to bum a cigarette or an argument breaks out.
- One option may be to play classical music at the station in a bid to deter loiterers.
Origin
Late Middle English: perhaps from Middle Dutch loteren 'wag about'.