loiter

[loi-ter]

verb (used without object)

1. to linger aimlessly or as if aimless in or about a place.

   to loiter around the bus terminal.

   Synonyms: loaf

2. 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.

   Synonyms: tarry, delay, loaf

3. to waste time or dawdle over work.

   He loiters over his homework until one in the morning.

   Synonyms: tarry, delay, loaf

verb (used with object)

1. to pass (time) in an idle or aimless manner (usually followed byaway ).

   to loiter away the afternoon in daydreaming.

   Synonyms: loaf

loiter

/ ˈlɔɪtə /

verb

1. (intr) to stand or act aimlessly or idly

Other Word Forms

• loiterer noun
• loitering noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of loiter¹

First recorded before 1300–50; Middle English loteren, loytren, perhaps from Middle Dutch loteren “to stagger, totter”; compare Dutch leuteren “to dawdle”

Word History and Origins

Origin of loiter¹

C14: perhaps from Middle Dutch löteren to wobble: perhaps related to Old English lūtian to lurk

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

And she opposes “stay-out” orders that bar those accused of drug offenses from loitering downtown.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The rest of the Lakers sat silently or loitered in a semicircle waiting for their coaches to join.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

You see, a normal robot would never loiter there for long.

Read more on Literature

After the result, us reporters were still loitering in the street and we were kept waiting ages for the winner, the loser and the prime minister to leave.

Read more on BBC

Deputies discovered the victim, a resident of North Carolina, and Govantes acting suspiciously and loitering outside a Sephora store in Chino Hills on Saturday afternoon, according to deputies.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• amble 
• dawdle 
• linger 
• loll 
• lounge 
• ramble 
• saunter 
• traipse