loiter
[ loi-ter ]
/ ˈlɔɪ tər /
verb (used without object)
to linger aimlessly or as if aimless in or about a place: to loiter around the bus terminal.
to move in a slow, idle manner, making purposeless stops in the course of a trip, journey, errand, etc.: to loiter on the way to work.
to waste time or dawdle over work: He loiters over his homework until one in the morning.
verb (used with object)
to pass (time) in an idle or aimless manner (usually followed by away): to loiter away the afternoon in daydreaming.
Origin of loiter
1300–50; Middle English
loteren, loytren, perhaps < Middle Dutch
loteren to stagger, totter; compare Dutch
leuteren to dawdle
SYNONYMS FOR loiter
1
Loiter,
dally,
dawdle,
idle imply moving or acting slowly, stopping for unimportant reasons, and in general wasting time. To
loiter is to linger aimlessly:
to loiter outside a building. To
dally is to loiter indecisively or to delay as if free from care or responsibility:
to dally on the way home. To
dawdle is to saunter, stopping often, and taking a great deal of time, or to fritter away time working in a halfhearted way:
to dawdle over a task. To
idle is to move slowly and aimlessly, or to spend a great deal of time doing nothing:
to idle away the hours.
1–4 loaf.
2, 3 delay, tarry.
OTHER WORDS FROM loiter
loi·ter·er, noun loi·ter·ing·ly, adverbWords nearby loiter
loir-et-cher,
loire,
loire-atlantique,
loiret,
lois,
loiter,
loja,
lok sabha,
lokacara,
lokayata,
lokayatika
Example sentences from the Web for loiterer
British Dictionary definitions for loiterer
loiter
/ (ˈlɔɪtə) /
verb
(intr)
to stand or act aimlessly or idly
Derived forms of loiter
loiterer, noun loitering, noun, adjectiveWord Origin for loiter
C14: perhaps from Middle Dutch
löteren to wobble: perhaps related to Old English
lūtian to lurk