PROTRACT

protract. protract, deferre, or prolong, or draw out at length:

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protract. Protract, v. to lengthen in time, prolong, draw out

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Pro‐tract″ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Protracted; p. pr. vb. n. Protracting.] [[L. protractus, p. p. of protrahere to forth, protract; pro forward + trahere to draw. See Portrait, Portray.]] 1. 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. 2. To put off to a distant time; to delay; to defer; as, to protract a decision or duty. Shak.
3. 3. (Surv.) To draw to a scale; to lay down the lines and angles of, with scale and protractor; to plot.
4. 4. (Zoöl.) To extend; to protrude; as, the cat can protract its claws; — opposed to retract.