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Glite Dictionary
lingeringly

lingeringly

6.6
To do something slowly because you do not want it to end
  • adverb
  • /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋli/
translation icon : prolongadamente
  • He looked at her lingeringly, wishing he could stay a little longer.
  • said goodbye lingeringly

Examples

  • As Teresa and Alicia walk along the Yucatan beach, one picked up a dead branch and lingeringly drew something in the sand.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Tina said goodbye lingeringly to Thomas.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Deep within, the mirrors lingeringly reflect the days.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "I walk a lawyer," he repeated lingeringly.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Okay, I'm headed out now," he kissed her lingeringly and looked into her eyes to gauge how she really was.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Hens you could only buy alive in the countryside, with feathers that needed plucking and innards that had to be carved out with a knife, and a yellow, spread-out skin that should be lingeringly smoked over a low fire.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • My hand was kissed repeatedly and held lingeringly; dozens of flowery compliments were paid to me, and cups of spiced wine were brought to me in endless procession.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Tina said goodbye lingeringly to Thomas, savoring their time together.

  • She gazed lingeringly at the sunset, enjoying the fading colors in the sky.

Synonyms

protractedly
vslingeringly
7.8

In a slow way that lasts longer than expected

emphasizes a hesitant unwillingness to end rather than mere long duration

Antonyms

quickly
∞ 1.0

At a fast speed or without delay

abruptly
145 3.3

In a sudden way that gives no warning

How Slowly

interminably
2 7.6
lingeringly
6.6
slowly
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

lingeringly positive

Morphology

lingeringly = lingering (transparent) = linger + ing + ly

Formed by standard derivation: 'linger' + '-ing' -> 'lingering' (adjective), then '-ly' to make the adverb; the meaning is directly predictable.

Etymology

The word lingeringly comes from the verb linger, which is related to the simple word long and originally meant 'to stay' for 'a long time'. So, to do something lingeringly is to do it slowly and as if you do not want it to end.