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1. The act of tarrying
   - tarriance

1. Remain present although waning or gradually dying
   "Her perfume lingered on"
    
2. Spend time in one place doing little or wasting time
   "The high school students like to linger in the Central Square";
   - loiter, lounge, footle [informal], lollygag [N. Amer, informal], loaf [informal], lallygag [N. Amer, informal], hang around, mess about, tarry, lurk, mill about, mill around, dilly-dally [informal], dillydally [informal], mooch [Brit, informal]
    
3. Leave slowly and hesitantly
   - tarry
    
4. Take one's time; proceed slowly
   - dawdle
    
5. To hang about in a place beyond the proper or usual time
   "The shy student lingered in the corner";
   - hover

Derived forms: lingerings

See also: dwell on

Type of: balk, baulk [Brit], be, delay, go away, go forth, hesitate, holdup, leave, move, off [informal], persist, remain, stay, waffle [N. Amer, informal], waver

Antonym: rush along

Encyclopedia: Lingering