shilly-shally
[ shil-ee-shal-ee ]
verb (used without object),shil·ly-shal·lied, shil·ly-shal·ly·ing.
noun,plural shil·ly-shal·lies.
irresolution; indecision; vacillation: It was sheer shilly-shally on his part.
adjective
adverb
irresolutely.
Origin of shilly-shally
1First recorded in 1690–1700; originally repeated question, shall I? shall I?; later altered on the model of its synonym dilly-dally
Other words from shilly-shally
- shil·ly-shal·li·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for shillyshally
shillyshally
/ (ˈʃɪlɪˌʃælɪ) informal /
verb-lies, -lying or -lied
(intr) to be indecisive, esp over unimportant matters; hesitate
adverb
in an indecisive manner
adjective
indecisive or hesitant
nounplural -lies
indecision or hesitation; vacillation
Origin of shillyshally
1C18: from shill I shall I, by reduplication of shall I
Derived forms of shillyshally
- shillyshallier, noun
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
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