Protract, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Protracted; p. pr. vb. n. Protracting.]
Etymology: [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 space; to continue; to prolong; as, to protract an argument; to protract a war.
2. To put off to a distant time; to delay; to defer; as, to protract a decision or duty. Shak.
3. (Surv.)
To draw to a scale; to lay down the lines and angles of, with scale and protractor; to plot.
2 more senses
4. (Zoöl.)
To extend; to protrude; as, the cat can protract its claws; -- opposed to retract.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Protract, n.
Tedious continuance or delay. [Obs.] Spenser.
Shades of meaning
To protract is to cause to occupy a longer time than is usual, expected, or desirable. We defer a negotiation which we are slow to enter upon; we protract a negotiation which we are slow to conclude; delay may be used of any stage in the proceedings; we may delay a person as well as an action, but defer and protract are not used of persons. Elongate is not used of actions or abstractions, but only of material objects or extension in space; protract is very rarely used of concrete objects or extension in space; we elongate a line, protract a discussion. Protract has usually an unfavorable sense, implying that the matter referred to is already unduly long, or would be so if longer continued; continue is neutral, applying equally to the desirable or the undesirable. Postpone implies a definite intention to resume, as defer also does, though less decidedly; both are often used with some definite limitation of time; as, to postpone till, until, or to a certain day or hour. One may defer, delay, or postpone a matter intelligently and for good reason; he procrastinates through indolence and irresolution. Compare hinder.
Prepositions
To protract a speech by verbosity, through an unreasonable time, to, till, or until a late hour.