linger

Verb

1. To stay or remain in a place or situation, especially as if unwilling to depart or not easily able to do so.
   • Still more foole I ſhall appeare / By the time I linger here - c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio),...
   • His tone lingered in the air, almost like the tone of a musical instrument. - 1859, Charles Dickens, chapter 15, in A Tale of Two Cities:
   • She lingered in the window until the windy sunset died in bat-colored dusk; then, going to bed, she lay sleepless all night. - 1891 July, Edith Wharton, “Mrs. Manstey's View”, in Scribner’s Magazine:

   Synonyms: abide loiter tarry eld linger retard stay wait

2. To remain alive or existent although still proceeding toward death or extinction; to die gradually.
   • He lingered through the day, and died that evening as the sun went down. - 1887, Thomas Hardy, chapter 14, in The Woodlanders:
   • During his absence the queen fell ill, and after lingering for some time she died. - 1904, Andrew Lang, “Asmund and Signy”, in The Brown Fairy Book:
3. To consider or contemplate for a period of time; to engage in analytic thinking or discussion.
   • Trump doesn't linger on the poll. - 2011 April 14, Michael Scherer, “Trump's Political Reality Show: Will the Donald Really Run for President?”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the...