Origin and history of protraction

[area], mid-15c., "extent, continued passage or duration," in phrase tract of time "period or lapse of time" (now obsolete), from Latin tractus "course, progress, movement, a train or course, a space drawn out, duration," etymologically "a drawing out or pulling," from stem of trahere "to pull, draw." This is said [Watkins] to be from a PIE root *tragh- "to draw, drag, move" (source also of Slovenian trag "trace, track," Middle Irish tragud "ebb;" perhaps with a variant form *dhragh-; see drag (v.)). Compare trait and trace (n.1).

The meaning "territory, region of indefinite extent, stretch of land or water" in English is recorded by 1550s. Latin tractus also had a sense of "territory, district, region of land." The specific U.S. sense of "plot of land for development" is recorded from 1912; tract housing is attested by 1953.

Also by 1680s in anatomy, in reference to regions of the body having particular functions (digestive, respiratory, etc.).

"draw out or lengthen in time," 1530s, a back-formation from protraction and in part from Latin protractus, past participle of protrahere "to draw forth, prolong." Etymologically identical to portray, which is the same Latin verb altered in passing through French. Related: Protracted; protracting. The English verb survived chiefly in the past-participle adjective.

Protracted meeting, a revival meeting continued or protracted ; a series of meetings of unusual importance, often lasting for several days and attended by large numbers ; chiefly used by Congregationalists, Methodists, and Baptists. [Century Dictionary]

The phrase is attested by 1832.