Standard Lemma guide

dilly-dally

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈdɪliˌdæli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arse about, arse around, bludge, bum around, cabbage, clown around, dally, dawdle, dick about, dick around, diddle, dilly-dally, dretch, drumble, faff, faff about, faff around, fanny about, fanny around, fart about, fart around, fiddle about, fiddle around, fool about, fool around, footle, forslow, goof around, goof off, hang about, hang around, hang out, horse around, idle, jerk off, lallygag, lamp, laze, laze about, laze around, linger, loaf, loaf about, loaf around, loiter, lollop, lollygag, mess around, mill about, mill around, muck about, muck around, piddle, pingle, stand by, tarry, tool around, waste time, while, adjourn, avert, defer, delay, draw out, extend, forestall, forestay, kick into the long grass, kick the can down the road, postpone, procrastinate, prolong, prorogue, prorogate, protract, put off, put on hold, put on ice, retard, roll back, stay, suspend

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

postpone doing what one should be doing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: procrastinate, stall, drag one's feet, drag one's heels, shillyshally, dillydally

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: delay

Narrower terms: procrastinate

History

Etymology

Reduplication of dally.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 磨蹭 (mócèng) — to waste time
  • Finnish: hengailla — to waste time
  • Finnish: velttoilla — to waste time
  • Finnish: luumuilla — to waste time
  • Finnish: puuhastella — to waste time
  • French: procrastiner — to waste time
  • German: trödeln — to waste time
  • German: Zeit vertrödeln — to waste time
  • Greek: χασομερώ (chasomeró) — to waste time
  • Italian: gingillarsi — to waste time
  • Italian: procrastinare — to waste time
  • Latin: mūgīnor — to waste time
  • Macedonian: се колеба (se koleba) — to waste time
  • Māori: hāmure — to waste time
  • Māori: tonanawe — to waste time
  • Polish: ociągać się — to waste time
  • Polish: guzdrać się — to waste time
  • Portuguese: enrolar — to waste time
  • Russian: тра́тить вре́мя впусту́ю (trátitʹ vrémja vpustúju) — to waste time
  • Russian: безде́льничать (bezdélʹničatʹ) — to waste time
  • Russian: прохлажда́ться (proxlaždátʹsja) — to waste time
  • Spanish: procrastinar — to waste time
  • Spanish: pelotearse — to waste time
  • Swedish: prokrastinera — to waste time