a room (as in a hotel or airport) with seating where people can wait
"After dropping off her bags at the terminal, she sat down to read a book until her flight was called."
A waiting room in an office, airport etc.
"After dropping off my passport at customs, I sat down to read a magazine in the quiet lounge while we waited for our flight."
In plain English: A lounge is a comfortable room with soft furniture where people relax and chat.
"The cat jumped up onto the soft leather lounge to take a nap."
Usage: Use "lounge" to refer to a comfortable waiting area or relaxation space in public places like airports, hotels, or offices. Do not use it for any type of private home living room unless specifically describing a formal sitting area designed for lounging.
be about
"The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square"
"Who is this man that is hanging around the department?"
To relax; to spend time lazily; to stand, sit, or recline, in an indolent manner.
"After a long week at work, I decided to lounge on the sofa and watch some movies instead of doing any chores."
In plain English: To lounge means to lie around lazily without doing much.
"She decided to lounge on the couch and watch television all afternoon."
Usage: Use "lounge" to describe relaxing or sitting in a lazy, comfortable way without being productive. Avoid using it when referring to formal activities or standing upright with purpose.
The origin of the word "lounge" is unclear, but it may have come from the French phrase s'allonger, meaning to lie down. Alternatively, some suggest a connection to the German verb lungern, which means to hang around or linger.