v.intr.
1. a be slow or reluctant to depart. b stay about. c (foll. by over, on, etc.) dally (lingered over dinner; lingered on what they said).
2 (esp. of an illness) be protracted.
3 (foll. by on) (of a dying person or custom) be slow in dying; drag on feebly.
Derivatives:
lingerer n. lingeringly adv.
Etymology: ME lenger, frequent. of leng f. OE lengan f. Gmc, rel. to LENGTHEN