Definition of "protraction" [pro•trac•tion]

• The act of protracting. (noun)
• The state of being protracted. (noun)
• Linguistics The irregular lengthening of a normally short syllable. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "By the quantity of provision which I had consumed I should guess that I had passed three weeks in this journey; and the continual protraction of hope, returning back upon the heart, often wrung bitter drops of despondency and grief from my eyes."
• "I should guess that I had passed three weeks in this journey; and the continual protraction of hope, returning back upon the heart, often wrung bitter drops of despondency and grief from my eyes."
• "However, any further protraction in the process raises the bar for a successful outcome."