different between loiter vs prowl

English

Etymology

From Middle English loitren, from Middle Dutch loteren (“to shake, wag, wobble”), ultimately connected with a frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *l?tan? (“to bend, stoop, cower, shrink from, decline”), see lout. Cognate with Dutch leuteren (“to dawdle”), Alemannic German lottern (“to wobble”), German Lotterbube (“rascal”). More at lout, little.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?l??t?(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?l??t?/, [?l?j??]
• Rhymes: -??t?(r)

Verb

loiter (third-person singular simple present loiters, present participle loitering, simple past and past participle loitered)

1. To stand about without any aim or purpose; to stand about idly.

   Synonyms: (Malaysia, Singapore) lepak, linger, hang around

2. To remain at a certain place instead of moving on.
3. (military, aviation) For an aircraft to remain in the air near a target.

Derived terms

• loiter time

Translations

Noun

loiter (plural loiters)

1. A standing or strolling about without any aim or purpose.
   • 1865, Edward Spooner, Parson and People (page 125)

     Oh, Sir, we just got up in the morning and had a loiter and a pipe on the green; then we got our breakfasts; […]

Anagrams

• Loiret, Lortie, toiler, triole

English

Etymology

From Middle English prollen, of unknown origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?a?l/

Verb

prowl (third-person singular simple present prowls, present participle prowling, simple past and past participle prowled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To rove over, through, or about in a stealthy manner; especially, to search in, as for prey or booty.

   • He prowls each place, still in new colours decked.

   Watch the lioness prowling in the shrubbery for zebras.

   It's tough to sneak vandalism into Wikipedia as there are plenty of other users prowling the Recent Changes page.
2. (intransitive) To idle; to go about aimlessly.

   That dandy has nothing better to do than prowl around town all day in his pinstripe suit.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To collect by plunder.

   to prowl money

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

prowl (plural prowls)

1. (colloquial) The act of prowling.

   I'm going on a midnight prowl.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Smart to this entry?)