lollygag

verb

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lol·ly·gag | \ ˈlä-lē-ˌgag

variants: or less commonly lallygag

lollygagged also lallygagged; lollygagging also lallygagging; lollygags also lallygags

Definition of lollygag

intransitive verb

informal

: to fool around and waste time : dawdle Stop lollygagging and get to work. We were slow because the girl was lollygagging, the photographer was photographing, and I was on crutches.— James Robison The first author he'd chosen was lollygagging on his manuscript, so it was my chance.— Neal Pollack … rally the team of lallygagging lawmakers … — The Hightower Lowdown

Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about lollygag

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Did You Know?

You certainly didn't want to be known as a lollygagger at the beginning of the 20th century. Back then, lollygag was slang for "fooling around" (sexually, that is). That sense of lollygag was in use as long ago as 1868, and it probably originated as an alteration of the older (and more dawdlingly innocent) lallygag. Nowadays, lollygag doesn't usually carry such naughty connotations, but back in 1946, one Navy captain considered lollygagging enough of a problem to issue this stern warning: "Lovemaking and lollygagging are hereby strictly forbidden.... The holding of hands, osculation and constant embracing of WAVES [Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service], corpsmen or civilians and sailors or any combination of male and female personnel is a violation of naval discipline...."