dally

dal·ly

verb \ˈda-lē\

dal·lieddal·ly·ing

Definition of DALLY

intransitive verb

1

a : to act playfully; especially : to play amorously b : to deal lightly : toy <accused him of dallying with a serious problem>

2

a : to waste time b : linger, dawdle

— dal·li·er noun

Examples of DALLY

1. Please don't dally. We need you here right away.
2. The two of us dallied over our coffee that morning.

Origin of DALLY

Middle English dalyen, from Anglo-French dalier

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to DALLY

Synonyms: play, disport, frolic, recreate, rollick, skylark, sport, toy

Antonyms: barrel, bolt, career, course, dash, fly, hasten, hotfoot (it), hurry, race, rip, rocket, run, rush, scoot, scud, scurry, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, whiz (or whizz), zip

Related Words: cavort, frisk, gambol, romp; dabble, trifle; amuse, divert, entertain; delight, please; dabble, fiddle (around), mess around, putter (around); bum (around), dawdle, goldbrick, hang, hang about [British], idle, loaf, lounge (around or about), relax, rest, screw around, slack (off); jest, joke, tease

Near Antonyms: drudge, labor, plod, plug (away), slave, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, work

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at trifle, delay

Rhymes with DALLY

alley, bally, challis, galley, gally, mallee, pally, rally, sally, Schally, tally, valley