loiter
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++loi·ter /ˈlɔɪtə $ -ər/ verb [intransitive] 1 WAITto stand or wait somewhere, especially in a public place, without any clear reason 〔尤指在公共场所〕闲逛，游荡 SYN hang about, hang around Five or six teenagers were loitering in front of the newsagent’s. 五六个青少年在报摊前面游荡。► see thesaurus at stay2. SLOWto move or do something slowly, or to keep stopping when you should keep moving 磨蹭；走走停停→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
loiter• A policeman had suspected them for loitering about, they wouldn't give a reasonable explanation or account of themselves.• He looked at Kopyion, loitering as if he wanted to say something.• But two blackshirts loitered behind him anyway.• Their blunt heads were clearly visible as they loitered, grey-black like bow-headed submarines.• He loitered in the parking lot, pleasantly bemused by the coquettish chatter of juniors who courted him.• Teens were loitering in the parking lot.• Since then, the wealthier children have headed out to the suburbs, where loitering is legal.• I loitered on street corners staring at caterpillars fallen to the sidewalk.• No one has time to loiter over a meal these days.• Schools of sunfish still loiter there, and Stuart hooks one of their members and stiff-poles it right in.Origin loiter (1400-1500) Probably from Middle Dutch loteren “to be loose”loi·ter verbChineseSyllable
public in to wait a somewhere, especially or Corpus stand
loiter
loi‧ter /ˈlɔɪtə $ -ər/
verb [intransitive]
SYN hang about, hang around:
Five or six teenagers were loitering in front of the newsagent’s.
2. to move or do something slowly, or to keep stopping when you should keep moving
▪ stay to not leave a place, or to be in a place for a particular period of time: Stay where you are and don’t move. | John only stayed at the party for a couple of hours.
▪remain formal to stay somewhere. In written English, people often prefer to use remain rather than stay, because it sounds more formal: Some 2,000 protesters remained outside the building and refused to leave. | The judge recommended that he remain in jail for the rest of his life.
▪linger to stay in a place a little longer than you need to, because you are enjoying yourself, or because you hope to see someone or something: He lingered outside the lecture hall, hoping for a chance to talk to her. | There are plenty of small cafés where you can linger over a cappuccino.
▪loiter to stay in a place not doing anything – used when you think someone is waiting for the chance to do something bad or illegal: The two men had been seen loitering in the area on the day that the car was stolen.
▪hang around informal to stay somewhere not doing anything: There are gangs of boys hanging around on street corners. | I don’t mind hanging around for a few minutes. | The boss doesn’t like being kept hanging around.
▪stick around informal to stay in the same place or situation for a period of time, especially while you are waiting for something to happen or someone to arrive: I decided to stick around and see how it all turned out. | Make up your mind. I’m not going to stick around forever.
loi‧ter /ˈlɔɪtə $ -ər/
verb [intransitive] Date: 1400-1500
Origin: Probably from Middle Dutch loteren 'to be loose'
1. to stand or wait somewhere, especially in a public place, without any clear reason Origin: Probably from Middle Dutch loteren 'to be loose'
SYN hang about, hang around:
2. to move or do something slowly, or to keep stopping when you should keep moving
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