French word

attarder

Pronunciation

IPA/ataʁde/

Meaning

  • verblinger

Example

Ne t'attarde pas.

Don't linger.

Illustration for attarder (linger)

More examples

Je me suis attardé chez ma sœur ce week-end.

I lingered at my sister's house this weekend.

Core concept

Someone lets time stretch while staying with an activity or in a place.

Common phrases

  • s'attarder sur

    dwell on

  • s'attarder à

    take time over ___

  • s'attarder chez quelqu'un

    linger at someone's house

Similar words

traîner: To linger in a place or over a conversation longer than necessary, wasting time.
rester: To remain in the same place for an extended period.
flâner: To wander around leisurely, spending time at an unhurried pace.
tarder: To delay acting or arriving, taking longer than expected.

Definition in French

Passer trop de temps à faire quelque chose ou à rester quelque part, souvent exprimé par la forme pronominale s'attarder.

Word origin

French attarder developed from Old French atarder and tarder, whose history leads back to Latin tardare, 'to delay'; the reflexive construction gives the verb its usual lingering sense.

Usage tips

  • Ne t'attarde pas is a negative imperative with the reflexive pronoun before the verb, whereas the positive form is Attarde-toi.

Other meanings

  • delayverb
  • dawdleverb

Opposites

Related words

  • attardédelayedadjective
  • attardementdelaynoun

Word lists with this word