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loiterto stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈlɔɪtər/

Example Sentences

  • The mall security asked the teenagers to stop loitering near the food court.
  • My cat likes to loiter by the kitchen when I'm cooking, hoping for treats.
  • Don't loiter after school; go straight home to study for the exam.

loiter

VERB

[/ˈlɔɪtər/]

to stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose

The teens loiter outside the convenience store, sipping sodas with nowhere to be.
💡 Concept

The teens loiter outside the convenience store, sipping sodas with nowhere to be.

Loy loyally loiters there - just hanging around with no purpose!
🧠 Mnemonic

Loy loyally loiters there - just hanging around with no purpose!

He loiters by the oyster pond, away from the cloister
🎵 Rhyme

He loiters by the oyster pond, away from the cloister

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈlɔɪtər/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈlɔɪtə/

🌳Etymology

Rootloiter

Origin

From Middle Dutch 'loteren' meaning to wag or move restlessly, likely related to the concept of moving about without purpose or direction.

Breakdown

loiter (single morpheme from Middle Dutch 'loteren') = to stand or wait around idly without a clear morphological breakdown into constituent parts

🎵Rhyme

oystercloistermoister
oyster
cloister
moister

🔗Collocations

loiter around
loiter in the street
loiter with intent
no loitering sign
loiter outside

📝Examples

The mall security asked the teenagers to stop loitering near the food court.

😄 Fun example

My cat likes to loiter by the kitchen when I'm cooking, hoping for treats.

Don't loiter after school; go straight home to study for the exam.

The suspicious man was loitering outside the bank for hours before the police arrived.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

lurklingerdawdlehang aroundwander

Antonyms

hurryrushdepart

Related

roamstrollmeanderhoveridle

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