protracted, ppl. a.
(prəʊˈtræktɪd)
[f. prec. + -ed1.]
1. Lengthened, extended, prolonged; a. in time; spec. in protracted meeting.
| 1746–7 Hervey Medit. (1767) I. 62 (Tombs) The divine Redeemer expired in tedious and protracted Torments. 1832 Patriot & Farmer's Monitor (Kingston, Ontario) 10 Apr. 2/6 It is now required of the Episcopal Methodist preachers, to make the public acquainted with their motives for establishing Protracted Meetings. 1855 Haliburton Nat. & Hum. Nat. i. I. 2 It's a gentleman that calculates to hold a protracted meeten here to night. 1860 Bartlett Dict. Amer., Protracted Meeting, a name given in New England to a religious meeting, protracted or continued for several days. 1864 Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. xix. (1875) 354 The miseries of a protracted war. 1925 W. J. Bryan Mem. 17 A protracted meeting held in a Christian Church. 1948 Chicago Tribune 21 Nov. vii. 1/7 Loafers' Glory..acquired that name years ago when a protracted meeting was held in the little log schoolhouse. |
b. in space.
| 1784 Cowper Task i. 257 Their shaded walks And long protracted bowers. |
2. Drawn out; = prolate a. 1.
| 1816 tr. Lacroix's Diff. & Int. Calculus 662 The protracted or contracted cycloid. |
† 3. Delayed, tardy. Obs.
| 1838 tr. Strauss' Early Life Lutheran Clergym. ii. 12 A cart appeared with the protracted produce of the fields. |
4. Drawn to scale; plotted out; see prec. 6.
| 1696 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 498 The Courses and protracted figure thereof. 1808 Pike Sources Mississ. ii. App. 51 Lieutenant Wilkinson has copied and carries with him a very elegant protracted sketch of the route. |
Hence proˈtractedly adv., in a protracted or long-continued way; proˈtractedness, long continuance or extent.
| 1847 Webster, Protractedly. 1862 F. Hall Hindu Philos. Syst. 29 Pursuing it with due heed, continuously, and protractedly. 1893 F. Adams New Egypt 122 When..he told me that he himself..had received an order..I whistled protractedly, and decided offhand on going up to Cairo. 1888 Talmage Serm. in N.Y. Witness 29 Feb., In regard to what is the protractedness and immensity of influence of one good woman in the church and world. |