linger vs mess about

linger and mess about both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
linger	No	No	Yes	No
mess about	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, linger and mess about are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of linger include footle, hang around, lallygag, loaf, loiter, lollygag, lounge, lurk, mill about, mill around, tarry.

linger (verb)	mess about (verb)
take one's time; proceed slowly	be about a place without any apparent purpose
leave slowly and hesitantly
be about a place without any apparent purpose
to hang about in a place beyond the proper or usual time
remain present although waning or gradually dying