- loiter
- verb1)
he loitered at bus stops
Syn:linger, wait, skulk; loaf, lounge, idle, laze, waste time, lollygag; informal hang around; archaic tarry2)they loitered along the river bank
Syn:dawdle, dally, stroll, amble, saunter, meander, drift, putter, take one's time; informal dilly-dally, mosey••loiter, dally, dawdle, idle, lagSomeone who hangs around downtown after the stores are closed and appears to be deliberately wasting time is said to loiter, a verb that connotes improper or sinister motives (the police warned the boys not to loiter). To dawdle is to pass time leisurely or to pursue something halfheartedly (dawdle in a stationery shop; dawdle over a sinkful of dishes). Someone who dallies dawdles in a particularly pleasurable and relaxed way, with connotations of amorous activity (he dallied with his girlfriend when he should have been delivering papers). Idle suggests that the person makes a habit of avoiding work or activity (idle away the hours of a hot summer day), while lag suggests falling behind or failing to maintain a desirable rate of progress (she lagged several yards behind her classmates as they walked to the museum).
Thesaurus of popular words. 2014.