early 15c., prolongen, "lengthen in time, extend the duration of; delay, postpone," back-formation from prolongation or else from Old French prolonguer, porloignier (13c.) and directly from Late Latin prolongare "to prolong, extend," from Latin pro "forth" (see pro-) + longus "long" (adj.); see long (adj.). The same elements also form purloin. Related: Prolonged; prolonging; prolongable.
mid-14c., purloinen, "to remove; misappropriate; to entice (a craftsman or apprentice) from a master," from Anglo-French purloigner "remove," Old French porloigner "put off, retard, delay, drag out; be far away," from por- (a variant of Latin pro- "forth;" see pro-) + Old French loing "far," from Latin longe, from longus "long" (see long (adj.)). Essentially a doublet of prolong, formed in French from the same Latin elements. Sense of "to steal" (1540s) is a development in English. Related: Purloined; purloining.
late 14c., prolongacioun, "condition of being extended;" early 15c. as "protraction, lengthening in time;" from Old French prolongacion (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin prolongationem (nominative prolongatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Late Latin prolongare "to prolong, extend," from Latin pro "forth" (see pro-) + longus "long" (adj.); see long (adj.).
Intransitive sense of "delay going, depart slowly and unwillingly" is from 1520s. Meaning "remain long in sickness, be near death for a time" is from 1530s. It shares verbal duties with long, prolong, lengthen. Related: Lingered; lingerer; lingering.
also macro-biotic, 1797, "tending to prolong life," 1797, from Greek makrobiotikos "long-lived," from makros "long" (from PIE root *mak- "long, thin") + bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). The specific reference to a Zen Buddhist dietary system dates from 1936. Hence macrobiote "a long-lived person or animal" (1852); macrobiosis "long life, longevity" (1837); macrobiotics "the study of longevity" (by 1832); "theory of macrobiotic diets" (by 1948).
early 15c., prorogen, "to prolong, extend" (a truce, agreement, etc.), a sense now obsolete, from Old French proroger, proroguer (14c.) and directly from Latin prorogare, literally "to ask publicly," from pro "before" (see pro-) + rogare "to ask, inquire, question; ask a favor," also "to propose (a law, a candidate);" see rogation. Perhaps the original sense in Latin was "to ask for public assent to extending someone's term in office."
The parliamentary meaning "discontinue temporarily, adjourn until a later time without dissolution" is attested from mid-15c. Related: Prorogued; prorogation.
"draw out or lengthen in time," 1530s, a back-formation from protraction and in part from Latin protractus, past participle of protrahere "to draw forth, prolong." Etymologically identical with portray, which is the same Latin verb altered in passing through French. Related: Protracted; protracting. The English verb survived chiefly in the past-participle adjective.
Protracted meeting, a revival meeting continued or protracted ; a series of meetings of unusual importance, often lasting for several days and attended by large numbers ; chiefly used by Congregationalists, Methodists, and Baptists. [Century Dictionary]
The phrase is attested by 1832.
