Lurk vs Linger - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between lurk and linger

is that lurk is to remain concealed in order to ambush while linger is to stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.

As a noun lurk

is the act of lurking.

lurk

English

Verb

(en verb)

To remain concealed in order to ambush.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Travels and travails , passage=Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.}}

To remain unobserved.

* 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4

Thus my plight was evil indeed, for I had nothing now to burn to give me light, and knew that 'twas no use setting to grout till I could see to go about it. Moreover, the darkness was of that black kind that is never found beneath the open sky, no, not even on the darkest night, but lurks in close and covered places and strains the eyes in trying to see into it.

To hang out or wait around a location, preferably without drawing attention to oneself.

* 2005 , (Plato), Sophist . Translation by Lesley Brown. .

if we find the sophist lurking , we must round him up by royal command of the argument

(Internet) To view an internet forum without posting comments.

Derived terms

* lurker

Noun

(en noun)

The act of lurking.

* 1921 : George Colby Borley, The Lost Horizon

There were enemies on the lurk and time was against him.

* 1955 : John Maxwell Edmonds Longus, Daphnis et Chloe

... barked furiously and made at him as at a wolf, and before he could wholly rise from the lurk because of the sudden consternation, ...

* 2004 : Charles Reade, A Simpleton

At two PM a man had called on him, and had produced one of his advertisements, and had asked him if that was all square—no bobbies on the lurk .

linger

English

Verb

(en verb)

To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.

* 1859 , , A Tale of Two Cities , ch. 15:

His tone lingered in the air, almost like the tone of a musical instrument.

* 1891 , , "Mrs. Manstey's View":

She lingered in the window.

* 2011 April 25, Alice Park, " Upgrading the Disaster," Time :

It takes into account . . . predictions of how long radioactive contaminants will linger in the soil and water near the nuclear facility.

To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.

* 1887 , , The Woodlanders , ch. 14:

He lingered through the day, and died that evening as the sun went down.

* 1904 , , "Asmund and Signy" in The Brown Fairy Book :

During his absence the queen fell ill, and after lingering for some time she died.

(often followed by on) To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytical thinking or discussion.

* 2011 April 14, Michael Scherer, " Trump's Political Reality Show: Will the Donald Really Run for President?," Time :

Trump doesn't linger on the poll.

Derived terms

* lingerer * linger on