loitering

American  

[loi-ter-ing] / ˈlɔɪ tər ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of lingering aimlessly or as if aimlessly in or about a place.

   A cluster of teens gathered in front of the plaza were charged with violating a city bylaw against loitering.

2. the act of moving in a slow, idle manner, with purposeless stops.

   His celebration of loitering as the best form of travel will resonate with anyone who has ever dared toss away a tourist map.

3. the act of wasting time or dawdling over work.

   As film director Jean Renoir notes, “The foundation of all civilization is loitering” because it gives time for creative thinking.

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adjective

1. lingering aimlessly, moving slowly and idly, or wasting time.

   Fossil fuels may not remain plentiful long enough to underwrite such a loitering transition to renewable energy.

Other Word Forms

• loiteringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of loitering

First recorded in 1350–1400; loiter ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; loiter ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

A Mexican man loitering against the wrought iron fence pointed across the street to the Lugo House.

From Literature

The Iranian ships hung around—“loitering,” in the words of Sri Lanka’s deputy foreign minister—as the U.S. and Israel launched their first attacks on Feb. 28.

From The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. also has loitering, guided munitions, such as AeroVironment’s Switchblade, that can be used for different combat objectives.

From Barron's

“We don’t like having anyone loitering around the entrance.”

From Literature

Some were held on loitering charges, while others were detained over their perceived "incorrigibility."

From Barron's

Related Words

• easy
• gradual
• heavy
• lackadaisical
• leisurely
• lethargic
• moderate
• passive
• quiet
• reluctant
• sluggish
• stagnant