linger
verb /ˈlɪŋɡə(r)/
/ˈlɪŋɡər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they linger | /ˈlɪŋɡə(r)/ /ˈlɪŋɡər/ |
| he / she / it lingers | /ˈlɪŋɡəz/ /ˈlɪŋɡərz/ |
| past simple lingered | /ˈlɪŋɡəd/ /ˈlɪŋɡərd/ |
| past participle lingered | /ˈlɪŋɡəd/ /ˈlɪŋɡərd/ |
| -ing form lingering | /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/ /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to continue to exist for longer than expected
- The faint smell of her perfume lingered in the room.
- linger on The civil war lingered on well into the 1930s.
Extra Examples- It will linger forever in the minds of many people.
- The feelings of hurt and resentment lingered on for years.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- long
- still
- forever
- …
- on
- over
- [intransitive] (+ adv./prep.) to stay somewhere for longer because you do not want to leave; to spend a long time doing something
- She lingered for a few minutes to talk to Nick.
- We lingered over breakfast on the terrace.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- long
- still
- forever
- …
- on
- over
- [intransitive] linger (on somebody/something) to continue to look at somebody/something or think about something for longer than usual
- His eyes lingered on the diamond ring on her finger.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- long
- still
- forever
- …
- on
- over
- [intransitive] linger (on) to stay alive but become weaker
- He lingered on for several months after the heart attack.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- long
- still
- forever
- …
- on
- over
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘dwell, abide’): frequentative of obsolete leng ‘prolong’, of Germanic origin; related to German längen ‘make long(er)’, also to long.