procrastinate

Word family

pro·cras·ti·nate /prəˈkræstəneɪt/ verb [intransitiveI]

formalPOSTPONE/DO LATER to delay doing something that you ought to do, usually because you do not want to do it 耽搁，拖延 SYN put off

People often procrastinate when it comes to paperwork.

遇到文书工作，人们常常会拖拖拉拉。

► see thesaurus at delay

—procrastination /prəˌkræstəˈneɪʃən/ noun [uncountableU]

Examples from the Corpus

procrastinate• Potential career changers tend to procrastinate.• It's time to stop procrastinating and get the job done.• Accordingly, we had to procrastinate, as we had done over the Supreme Soviet Deputies' visit to Britain.• The judge procrastinated, but eventually the tabloids had their sport.• He hesitated and procrastinated for weeks before he finally told her he wanted their relationship to end.• His successors were less committed and procrastinated interminably.• Certain players are procrastinating over their contracts in order to see how much money they can squeeze out of their clubs.• Just as she had put off ringing Livingstone until it was too late, so she procrastinated with regard to contacting Gwen.

Origin procrastinate

(1500-1600) Latin past participle of procrastinare, from cras “tomorrow”

pro·cras·ti·nate verb

Chinese

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