protract — English Dictionary

Verb

1. To draw out; to extend, especially in duration.

   Examples

   Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock; Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech.

   More examples (1)

   1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, London: J. and P. Knapton et al., Volume 1, Preface, I have protracted my work till most of those whom I wished to please, have sunk into the grave […]

   I should wish now to protract this moment ad infinitum; but I dare not.

   More examples (2)

   A bereft landscape of sad browns and sepias of winter lay all about us, the marshland drearily protracting itself towards the wide river.

   Still, from these extraordinary pages you can learn that it's very bad to be burned alive on a windy day, because the breeze will keep flicking the flames away from you and thus protract the process.

2. To use a protractor.

3. To draw to a scale; to lay down the lines and angles of, with scale and protractor; to plot.

   Examples

   This is a synopsis of our marches, which, protracted on Burckhardt’s map, gives an error of ten miles.

4. To put off to a distant time; to delay; to defer.

   Examples

   to protract a decision or duty

   […] Let us bury him, And not protract with admiration what Is now due debt. To the grave!

   More examples (3)

   Then, since I’m sure to meet my Fate, How vain would Hope appear? Since Fear cannot protract the Date, How foolish ’twere to fear?

   Both hoped to protract the discovery of what had happened—the mother, by interposing her bustling person betwixt Mr. Girder and the fire, and the daughter, by the extreme cordiality with which she received the minister and her husband […]

   Of course he was in danger of almost immediate detection and punishment. He hardly hoped that the evil day would be very much longer protracted, and yet he enjoyed his triumph.

5. To extend; to protrude.

   Examples

   A cat can protract and retract its claws.

Verb

1. lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer

   Synonyms

   prolongextenddraw out

   Broader terms

   lengthen

   Examples

   We prolonged our stay

   She extended her visit by another day

   More examples (1)

   The meeting was drawn out until midnight