prolong
English
Etymology
Either a back-formation from prolongation, or from Old French prolonguer or porloignier, from Latin prōlongō, from prō + longō. Doublet of purloin.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /pɹoʊˈlɔŋ/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /pɹəʊˈlɒŋ/
Audio (UK) (file)
- (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA(key): /pɹoʊˈlɑŋ/
- Rhymes: -ɒŋ
- Hyphenation: pro‧long
Verb
prolong (third-person singular simple present prolongs, present participle prolonging, simple past and past participle prolonged)
- (transitive) To extend in space or length.
- (transitive) To lengthen in time; to extend the duration of
- Synonym: draw out
- Complaining prolongs one’s pain.
- 1922, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest:
- The departure was not unduly prolonged. In the road Mr. Love and the driver favoured the company with a brief chanty running. “Got it?—No, I ain't, 'old on,—Got it? Got it?—No, 'old on sir.”
- (transitive) To put off to a distant time; to postpone.
- The government shouldn't prolong deciding on this issue any further.
- (intransitive) To become longer; lengthen.
Derived terms
Derived terms
- prolongable
- prolongation
- prolonger
- prolongment
Translations
to extend in space or length
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to lengthen in time; to extend the duration of; to draw out; to continue
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to lengthen; to put off to a distant time; to postpone
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References
- prolong in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- prolong in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913