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Sustain vs Linger - What's the difference?

sustain | linger |

As verbs the difference between sustain and linger

is that sustain is to maintain, or keep in existence 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 sustain

is a mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.

sustain

English

Noun

(wikipedia sustain) (en noun)
  • (music) A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To maintain, or keep in existence.
  • To provide for or nourish.
  • provisions to sustain an army
  • To encourage (something ).
  • To experience or suffer (an injury, etc. ).
  • * Dryden
  • Shall Turnus, then, such endless toil sustain ?
  • * Shakespeare
  • You shall sustain more new disgraces.
  • To confirm, prove, or corroborate.
  • to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition
  • To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support.
  • A foundation sustains''' the superstructure; an animal '''sustains''' a load; a rope '''sustains a weight.
  • To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • * Dryden
  • his sons, who seek the tyrant to sustain

    Derived terms

    * sustainable * sustainedly

    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