verbverb

traîner

hang around · hang out · dawdle

Rester quelque part sans but précis ou se déplacer lentement sans se presser.

Definition & meaning

Traîner is a versatile French verb whose meaning depends on context:

To drag or pull something along the ground: traîner une valise means “to drag a suitcase.”
To trail or hang down: something may traîner par terre (“trail along the ground”).
To linger or hang around: traîner dans un café means “to hang around in a café.”
To take a long time or drag on: La réunion traîne means “The meeting is dragging on.”
To leave something lying around: Laisser traîner ses affaires means “to leave one’s things lying around.”
With se, se traîner can mean “to drag oneself,” “to crawl,” or, figuratively, “to move very slowly.”

Grammar & Word origin

Traîner is a regular -er verb. Its past participle is traîné, and its present participle is traînant. It can be used with a direct object, as in “to drag something,” or without one, as in “to linger” or “to drag on.” The reflexive form is se traîner.

The verb is historically related to the idea of pulling or dragging; it comes through Old French and is connected with Latin trahere, “to pull.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms vary by sense:

For “to drag”: tirer is the broad word for “to pull”; tracter often suggests towing or hauling.
For “to linger”: s’attarder means to stay longer than necessary, while flâner suggests wandering or spending time idly.
For “to drag on”: s’éterniser more strongly implies lasting far too long.
For “to leave lying around”: abandonner [?](vocabuo://word/abandonner] can mean to leave something behind, but does not necessarily mean leaving it casually in a messy place.

Possible antonyms also depend on the sense:

For “to drag on”: accélérer (“to speed up”) or se dépêcher (“to hurry”).
For “to leave lying around”: ranger (“to put away” or “tidy up”).
For “to drag”: porter (“to carry”) contrasts with dragging something along the ground.

Common phrases & collocations

traîner les pieds — to drag one’s feet; literally, to walk reluctantly or slowly.
traîner en longueur — to drag on.
laisser traîner — to leave something lying around; also, to let a matter drag on.
traîner dans les rues — to hang around or wander in the streets.
traîner quelqu’un en justice — to take someone to court.