dally

[ˈdæli]

dally Definition

• 1. to waste time, especially by being slow or indecisive
• 2. to behave in a way that shows you are attracted to someone but do not want a serious relationship with them
• 3. to handle something without taking it seriously

Using dally: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dally" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  Stop dallying and get back to work!

• Example

  She dallied over her decision for weeks.

• Example

  He was dallying with several women at once.

• Example

  Don't dally with the knife like that, you might hurt yourself.

dally Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for dally

• procrastinate
• delay
• loiter
• linger
• flirt

Antonyms for dally

• hurry
• accelerate

Phrases with dally

• dally with danger

  to take unnecessary risks or behave recklessly

  Example

  He's always been one to dally with danger, but he's lucky he hasn't gotten hurt yet.

• dally around

  to waste time doing unimportant things

  Example

  We can't dally around any longer, we need to start working on this project.

• dally with death

  to engage in activities that are very dangerous and could result in death

  Example

  He loved to dally with death by doing extreme sports like skydiving and bungee jumping.

Origins of dally

from Old Norse 'dolgr', meaning 'enemy'

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Summary: dally in Brief

The verb 'dally' [ˈdæli] means to waste time, be indecisive, or handle something without seriousness. It can also refer to behaving in a flirtatious manner without wanting a serious relationship. Examples include 'Stop dallying and get back to work!' and 'He was dallying with several women at once.' Phrases like 'dally with danger' and 'dally around' denote taking risks or wasting time, respectively.