Protract — Pro*tract , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Protracted}; p. pr. vb. n. {Protracting}.] [L. protractus, p. p. of protrahere to forth, protract; pro forward + trahere to draw. See {Portrait}, {Portray}.] 1. To draw out or lengthen in time or (rarely) in… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Protract — Pro*tract , n. [L. protractus.] Tedious continuance or delay. [Obs.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
protract — I (prolong) verb delay, drag out, filibuster, gain time, hold up, procrastinate, retard II (stall) verb continue, elongate, extend, lengthen out, shelve, string out III index compound … Law dictionary
protract — 1530s (implied in protraction), prolongation, extension of time, from L.L. protractionem a drawing out or lengthening, from pp. stem of protrahere, from pro forward + trahere to draw (see TRACT (Cf. tract) (1)). Etymologically identical with… … Etymology dictionary
protract — prolong, *extend, lengthen, elongate Analogous words: *delay, retard, slow, slacken: *defer, suspend, stay, postpone Antonyms: curtail Contrasted words: *shorten, abridge, abbreviate … New Dictionary of Synonyms
protract — [v] extend, draw out continue, cool*, defer, delay, drag on*, drag out*, draw, elongate, hold off, hold up, keep going, lengthen, pad*, postpone, procrastinate, prolong, prolongate, put off, put on hold, spin out*, stall, stretch, stretch out;… … New thesaurus
protract — ► VERB ▪ prolong; draw out. DERIVATIVES protracted adjective. ORIGIN Latin protrahere prolong … English terms dictionary
protract — [prō trakt′, prətrakt′] vt. [< L protractus, pp. of protrahere < pro , forward + trahere, to DRAW] 1. to draw out; lengthen in duration; prolong 2. to draw to scale; using a protractor and scale 3. Zool. to thrust out; extend: cf. RETRACT… … English World dictionary
protract — verb a) To draw out; to extend, especially in duration. No one wanted Nicolette at the discussion, as she would protract the debate long beyond any reasonable limit with her tedious and tangential arguments. b) To use a protractor. Syn: prolong … Wiktionary
protract — verb prolong; draw out. Origin C16: from L. protract , protrahere prolong , from pro out + trahere to draw … English new terms dictionary
protract — verb the opposition will try to protract the discussion Syn: prolong, lengthen, extend, draw out, drag out, spin out, stretch out, string out, elongate; carry on, continue, keep up, perpetuate Ant: curtail, shorten … Thesaurus of popular words
