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Definition of Dilly-dally
1. Verb. Postpone doing what one should be doing. "They dilly-dally a long time"; "He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days"
Generic synonyms: Delay
Specialized synonyms: Procrastinate
Derivative terms: Dillydallier, Procrastination, Procrastinator, Shillyshally, Stall
Definition of Dilly-dally
1. Verb. to dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Lexicographical Neighbors of Dilly-dally
Literary usage of Dilly-dally
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. The Nursery by Fanny P Seaverns, John L. Shorey (Firm (1874)
"dilly-dally-Dilly! Oh! she is very slow: She drags her feet Along the ...
dilly-dally-Dilly! How can you be so slow? Why don't you try To be more spry, ..."
2. Our Young Folks by John Townsend Trowbridge, Lucy Larcom, Gail Hamilton (1872)
"Dilly, dally ! " said the mysterious voice ... In a moment he found himself
puzzling over the strange words " ' Dilly, dally,' tt said, I declare. O dear ! ..."
3. "Toot Yer Horn": And Other Poems by Ullie R. Akerstrom (1888)
"If you intend to climb life's hill, Don't idle in the valley ; But warning take
in time, my friend, And do not dilly-dally. In short, whate'er you have to ..."
4. A Supplementary English Glossary by Thomas Lewis Owen Davies (1881)
"If I had suffered her to stand shilly-shally. dilly-dally, you might not have
had that honour yet awhile ; I wa-s forced to use a little fatherly authority ..."
5. Glossary of Northamptonshire Words and Phrases by Anne Elizabeth Baker (1854)
"If you dilly-dally in that way, you'll be too late." The only notices that I find
of this word are in Jamieson, and Bartlett's Americanisms. DILLY-PIG. ..."
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