dillydally

[ dil-ee-dal-ee, -dal- ]
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verb (used without object),dil·ly·dal·lied, dil·ly·dal·ly·ing.
  1. to waste time, especially by indecision; vacillate; trifle; loiter.

Origin of dillydally

1
First recorded in 1735–45; gradational reduplication of dally

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How to use dillydally in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dilly-dally

dilly-dally

/ (ˌdɪlɪˈdælɪ) /


verb-lies, -lying or -lied
  1. (intr) informal to loiter or vacillate

Origin of dilly-dally

1
C17: by reduplication from dally

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012