dally
DAL-ee
/ˈdæli/
To act or move slowly; to waste time aimlessly or flirt casually.
Implies lighthearted, careless lingering or playful delay rather than malice.
The story behind the word. Originating in Anglo-Norman French 'dalier', the word originally meant pleasant social chatting or teasing. By the 15th century, it expanded in English to mean lingering playfully or wasting time in light amusements.
Word relationships
- loiter: Loiter carries a slightly suspicious connotation of hanging around, whereas dally is carefree or romantic.
- dawdle: Dawdle emphasizes slow movement; dally emphasizes playful distraction.
- hasten: Hasten means to hurry or move with speed.
- rush: Rush implies urgent, fast movement toward a destination.
Commonly confused with
- daily: Daily means occurring every day; dally means lingering or wasting time.
Word family
- dalliance (noun): A casual romantic or playful involvement; time spent lingering.
Collocations
- dally along the way
- dally with an idea
- dally in town
Idioms & expressions
- fool around
- loiter about
Example sentences
- "Don't dally on your way home from school, or supper will get cold." Casual narrative
- "He chose to dally in the garden rather than face the uncomfortable discussion inside." Literary citation
Memory hook
DALLY: Lingering like Salvador DALI admiring artwork at an easy pace. Lingering playfully.
When not to use
Do not use for severe administrative delays or serious legal postponements.
Fun facts
- The noun 'dalliance' often refers specifically to brief, casual romantic affairs.
Related words
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