ˈlȯid.ə(r), -ȯitə- intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English loteren, loiteren, probably from Middle Dutch loteren to shake, wiggle, be loose (whence Dutch leuteren to dawdle); probably akin to Old English lūtian to lurk, lūtan to bend, stoop, Old High German luzēn to lurk, Old Norse lūta to bow down — more at little
1. : to interrupt or delay an activity or an errand or a journey with or as if with aimless idle stops and pauses and purposeless distractions
asked him not to loiter on the way home
: fritter away time in the course of doing something or proceeding somewhere
don't loiter on the job
: take more time than is usual or necessary : be markedly or unduly slow in doing something or going somewhere : dawdle , linger
2.
a. : to remain in or near a place in an idle or apparently idle manner : hang around aimlessly or as if aimlessly
vagrants found loitering outside the building
loitering in the clubhouse — Furman Bisher
loitered in the shade of the awnings — Sherwood Anderson
b. : to be unnecessarily slow in leaving : fitfully put off leaving : hang back : stay around without real necessity : lag behind
a crowd of people, who loitered to hear the bloodcurdling threats the prisoner shouted — Willa Cather
Synonyms: see delay