prolong

delay, postpone, defer, suspend, prolong, put off

这些动词或短语均有“推延，延期”之意。
delay: 普通用词，多指因外界原因推迟或耽误，也可指有意推迟。
postpone: 正式用词，语气较强，多指有安排的延期，常指明延期到一定的时间。
defer: 正式用词，语气强于postpone，多指故意拖延。
suspend: 指暂时中断以待某种条件的实现。
prolong: 指把时间延长至超过正常或通常的限度。
put off: 口语用词，与postpone同义，但较通俗。

动词 prolong:

1. lengthen in time; cause to be or last longer
   同义词：protract, extend, draw out
2. lengthen or extend in duration or space
   同义词：sustain, keep up

1. Peter: Now you must rest and take it easy. Sonia: Now he worries about me now, when it's too late. All my life he drives me to this point and now he wants to prolong the agony.
   彼得：你现在必须休息，别着急。索尼娅：他现在为我担心了，可现在太迟了。我这一辈子被他逼到了这个地步，现在他还想继续折磨我。
2. How can we endeavor to prolong the brevity of human life?
   我们怎样才能延长短促的人生？
3. The meeting may be prolonged into the evening because so many problems have to be solved tonight.
   会议可能要延长到夜里，因为今晚有太多问题要解决。