dally
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Related to dally: dilly dally, Dailymotion
dally
delay; waste time: dally along the way; play about; flirt: dally with her affections
Not to be confused with:
daily – occurring every day: regularly, constantly: he gets a newspaper daily
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
dal·ly
(dăl′ē)v. dal·lied, dal·ly·ing, dal·lies
v.intr.
1. To play amorously; flirt: My friend dallied with my cousin during the picnic.
2. To consider or occupy oneself with something in a careless or unserious fashion; toy. See Synonyms at flirt.
3. To dawdle, delay, or linger: Don't dally or we'll miss the train.
v.tr.
To spend (time) idly: dally away the afternoon.
[Middle English dalien, from Old French dalier.]
dal′li·er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
dally
(ˈdælɪ)vb (intr) , -lies, -lying or -lied
1. to waste time idly; dawdle
2. (usually foll by with) to deal frivolously or lightly with; trifle; toy: to dally with someone's affections.
[C14: from Anglo-French dalier to gossip, of uncertain origin]
ˈdallier n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
dal•ly
(ˈdæl i)v. -lied, -ly•ing. v.i.
1. to waste time; loiter; delay.
2. to act playfully, esp. in an amorous or flirtatious way.
3. to play mockingly; trifle: to dally with danger.
v.t. 4. to waste (time) (usu. fol. by away).
[1250–1300; Middle English dalien < Anglo-French dalier to chat, of uncertain orig.]
dal′li•er, n.
dal′ly•ing•ly, adv.
syn: See loiter.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
dally
Past participle: dallied
Gerund: dallying
| Imperative |
|---|
| dally |
| dally |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. |  dally - behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection" |
| 2. | dally - waste time; "Get busy--don't dally!" | |
| 3. |  dally - talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions; "The guys always try to chat up the new secretaries"; "My husband never flirts with other women"talk, speak - exchange thoughts; talk with; "We often talk business"; "Actions talk louder than words" wanton - engage in amorous play vamp - act seductively with (someone) | |
| 4. |  dally - consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
dally
verb (Old-fashioned) waste time, delay, fool (about or around), linger, hang about, loiter, while away, dawdle, fritter away, procrastinate, tarry, dilly-dally (informal), drag your feet or heels He did not dally long over his meal.
run, hurry (up), hasten, step on it (informal), make haste, push forward or on
run, hurry (up), hasten, step on it (informal), make haste, push forward or on
dally with someone flirt with, tease, lead on, toy with, play around with, fool (about or around) with, trifle with, play fast and loose with (informal), frivol with (informal) He was dallying with some floosie.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
dally
verb3. To go or move slowly so that progress is hindered:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يَتَوانى
loudat seotálet
smøle
idő: idõt elfecsérel
hangsa
delstigaišti laiką
niekotiesnosist laiku
ağırdan almakoyalanmak
dally
[ˈdælɪ] VI2. (= amuse o.s.) → divertirse
to dally with [+ lover] → coquetear con, tener escarceos amorosos con; [+ idea] → entretenerse con
to dally with [+ lover] → coquetear con, tener escarceos amorosos con; [+ idea] → entretenerse con
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
dally
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
dally
[ˈdælɪ] vi (delay) → dilungarsito dally about → perdere tempo
to dally over sth → perdere tempo con qc
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
dally
(ˈdӕli) verb to go etc slowly. Don't dally – do hurry up!
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.