protractive

Adjective

protractive (comparative more protractive, superlative most protractive)

1. Drawing out or lengthening in time; prolonging; continuing or delaying.
   • He suffered their protractive arts.1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC
   • In this case one half of the group had a contractive distraction imposed (decreasing work time) by a confederate; the other a protractive distraction (increasing work time).1970, Managing Human Behavior, page 100
2. Indicating an action or state that is ongoing or sustained.
   • One inflected form of the durative verb is made with a long tense hold and without motion; the nuance in meaning is the same as that of the protractive modulation of adjectival predicates and translates as 'to stare at (uninterruptedly)' (figure 12.15b).1979, Edward S. Klima, Ursula Bellugi, The Signs of Language, page 292
   • The protractive, durational, and continuative morphemes are examples of nonpunctual modifications .1990, Harry Bornstein, Manual Communication: Implications for Education, page 88
3. Extending forward or projecting outward.
   • Axial ribs not strongly protractive.1888, Pamphlets on Biology: Kofoid collection - Volume 2788, page 34
   • This keel on the first half of the last whorl consists of oblique, protractive strong short ridges, which on the last half disappear and give place to rough corrugations.1943, United States National Museum, Bulletin - Issues 180-181, page 111