loiter

American  

[loi-ter] / ˈlɔɪ tər /

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

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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 British  

/ ˈlɔɪtə /

verb

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

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Related Words

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.

Other Word Forms

• loiterer
  noun
• loitering
  noun

Etymology

Origin of loiter

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

Explanation

To loiter is to hang around a place with no real purpose, usually somewhere where you are not welcome — like under the “No Loitering” sign at a convenience store. If you’re a dawdler, or a loafer, then you are probably inclined to loiter from time to time. The verb loiter is similar to “hang out,” but it has a more negative connotation and is sometimes associated with acting illegally. You might hang out at your friend’s house watching movies, but you would loiter by the vending machine at school when you are supposed be in class.

Example Sentences

Many of these issues were highlighted in the 2011 book Why Loiter?

From The Guardian • Dec. 12, 2016

Neha of Why Loiter is getting married next year and says her partner fully supports her activities.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2016

The book argued that women should have equal access to public spaces, and inspired Neha to start her group, also called Why Loiter.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2016

Activists who founded a campaign called Why Loiter, which encourages Indian women to reclaim public spaces, now say the growing number of surveillance cameras will limit their freedom.

From Washington Post • Mar. 3, 2015

Loiter, loi′tėr, v.i. to delay: to be slow in moving: to linger.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Related Words

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