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Waiting vs Linger - What's the difference?

waiting | linger |

As verbs the difference between waiting and linger

is that waiting is 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 waiting

is (obsolete) watching.

waiting

English

(wikipedia waiting)

Verb

(head)
  • * 1874 , (John Fiske), Outlines of Cosmic Philosophy , I. 122.
    • In all ages, men have fought over words, without waiting to know what the words really signified.
  • *, chapter=19
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=At the far end of the houses the head gardener stood waiting for his mistress, and he gave her strips of bass to tie up her nosegay. This she did slowly and laboriously, with knuckly old fingers that shook.}}

    Derived terms

    * waiting game * waiting room

    Noun

  • (obsolete) Watching.
  • The act of staying or remaining in expectation.
  • * 1876 , , The New Day, A Poem in Songs and Sonnets
    • There was an awful waiting in the earth, / As if a mystery greatened to its birth.
  • Attendance, service.
  • *
    • Green glasses for hock, and excellent waiting at table.

    Derived terms

    * in waiting

    References

    *

    Statistics

    *

    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