Dallyadj.n.
/ˈdali/, U.S. /ˈdæli/, New Zealand English /ˈdɛli/ New Zealand colloquial.
A. adj.
Of Dalmatian origin.
ΚΠ
1950 O. E. Middleton in Landfall (N.Z.) June 127 You can buy an awful lot of Dally plonk for four pounds.
1961 B. Crump Hang on a Minute Mate 77 Henry..got this dog off an old Dally scrub-cutter.
B. n.
A native of Dalmatia; a person of Dalmatian parentage.
ΚΠ
1940 F. Sargeson Man & Wife (1944) 10 Two young Dallies who ran an orchard..had come out from Dalmatia.
1961 B. Crump Hang on a Minute Mate 77 A couple of days later they found the Dally dead on the hillside.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
dallyv.
/ˈdali/, U.S. /ˈdæli/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > conversation > converse [verb (intransitive)] > chat
dallyc1300
confablec1450
crack1529
tattle1547
chat1551
confabulate1604
confab1741
prosea1764
parleyvoo1765
coze1818
yarn1819
cosher1833
to pass a good morning1835
small-talk1848
mardle1853
cooze1870
chinwag1879
rap1909
kibitz1923
to shoot the breeze1941
old-talk1956
ole-talk1971
gyaff1976
gist1992
c1300 K. Alis. 6991 Dysers dalye, reisons craken.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1253 To daly with derely your daynte wordeȝ.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1114 Þay dronken & daylyeden & dalten vntyȝtel.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 112 Dalyyn or talkyn, fabulor, confabulor, colloquor.
2.
a. To act or speak sportively, make sport, amuse oneself; to toy, sport, play with, esp. in the way of amorous caresses; to flirt, wanton.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (intransitive)]
playeOE
glewc900
gameOE
lakec1300
solace1340
bourdc1440
dallyc1440
sporta1450
to make sportc1475
disport1480
to have a good (bad, etc.) time (of it, formerly on it)1509
toy?1521
pastime1523
recreate1589
jest1597
feast1609
deliciate1633
divert1670
carpe diem1817
hobby-horse1819
popjoy1853
that'll be the day1916
to play around1929
loon1969
the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > flirt, philander, or dally [verb (intransitive)]
flicker?c1225
dallyc1440
mird?c1625
pickeer1646
to dally away1685
niggle1696
coquet1700
gallant1744
philander1778
flirt1781
fike1804
gallivant1823
butterfly1893
vamp1904
romance1907
to fool up1933
floss1938
cop1940
horse1953
the mind > emotion > love > action of caressing > caress or make a show of affection [verb (intransitive)] > sport amorously
playOE
dally1685
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 112 Dallyn, or hallesyn, amplector.
1573 G. Harvey Schollers Loove in Let.-bk. (1884) 105 Did you never see a flye in ye nighte Dally so longe with ye candle lighte.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard III i. iii. 263 Our aiery buildeth in the Cedars top, And dallies with the winde. View more context for this quotation
1621 R. Burton Anat. Melancholy ii. ii. iv. 346 Little else..but to dally with their Cats.
1685 in Roxburghe Ballads VII. 473 I have a Chamber here of my own, Where we may kiss and dally alone.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Day-dream in Poems (new ed.) II. 157 The chancellor,..dallied with his golden chain.
1883 R. Noel in Academy No. 577. 365/3 Leaping lambs and lovers dallying.
b. To play with a thing or subject which one does not intend to take seriously; to coquet, flirt, esp. with temptation and the like.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > mental wandering > light-mindedness > act without seriousness [verb (intransitive)]
twiddlea1547
dally1548
trifle1736
dandle1829
to rot abouta1893
flibbertigibbet1921
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Pref. 18 The auncient doctoures..doe in expounyng the allegories, seme oft tymes to playe and dalie with it.
1638 J. Milton Lycidas in Obsequies 24 in Justa Edouardo King For so to interpose a little ease, Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise.
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 167 Dally not with her, as Eve with the serpent.
1775 J. W. Fletcher in R. Hill & J. W. Fletcher Fictitious & Genuine Creed viii. 40 When we dally with temptation.
1780 W. Cowper Table Talk 544 To dally much with subjects mean and low.
1855 W. H. Prescott Hist. Reign Philip II of Spain I. ii. xiii. 290 Men..who..had been led to dally with the revolution in its infancy..now turned coldly away.
3. † b. transitive. to dally out: to trifle with, elude.
a. To trifle with a person or thing under the guise of serious action; to play with mockingly.
ΚΠ
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxv But the Duke of Burgoyne dalied, and dissimuled with all parties..geuyng them faire wordes.
1579 L. Tomson tr. J. Calvin Serm. Epist. S. Paule to Timothie & Titus 440/1 We see a great number yt wold dallie thus with God.
1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. ii. xxiii. 59 a Then thought the people..they were mocked and dallied withall [eludi].
1613 Bp. J. Hall Holy Panegyrick 22 If wee fear'd the Lord, durst we dally with his name?
1706 J. Addison Rosamond iii. iii Why will you dally with my pain?
1722 D. Defoe Relig. Courtship i. i. 19 Why do you trifle and dally so long with a Thing of such Consequence?
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > escape > escape from [verb (transitive)] > contrive to escape or evade
fleec1175
shunc1275
forgoc1305
passc1330
escapea1340
beglidea1350
voidc1380
shuntc1400
missa1522
evade1535
delude1536
to dally out1548
illude1553
prevent1598
outruna1616
to fail of1624
elude1634
subterfugea1643
shoot1685
shift1724
to get out of ——a1817
win by…1816
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > be unimportant [verb (transitive)] > treat as of little importance
to dally out1548
to make a (etc.) slight (of)c1619
minimize1866
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VI f. cxlvj The mater was wynked at, and dalyed out.
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) I. 204/2 He would suffer no man..to dallye out [L. eludere] his lawes without condigne punishment.
1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. xvii. 690/1 But Lewis..dallied out Edward with shewes of firme faith, till he had effected the thing he went about.
1619 E. M. Bolton tr. Florus Rom. Hist. ii. ii. 115 Skill to shift aside oares, and to dally out the strokes of beake-heads, by yare, and readie turning.
4. intransitive. To spend time idly or frivolously; to linger, loiter; to delay.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > spending time > spend time [verb (intransitive)] > waste time
prolong1449
protract1526
dally?1548
to burn daylight1597
lapse1667
to hinder time1712
niffle1775
to cut to waste1863
the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > be idle or unoccupied [verb (intransitive)] > potter or waste time in trifling activity
trifle?a1400
loiterc1400
tiffc1440
tifflec1440
to pick a salad1520
to play the wanton1529
fiddle1530
dauntc1540
piddle1545
dally?1548
pittlea1568
pingle1574
puddle1591
to thrum caps1594
maginate1623
meecha1625
pudder1624
dabble1631
fanfreluche1653
dawdlea1656
taigle17..
niff-naff1728
tiddle1747
peddle1755
gammer1788
quiddle1789
muddle1791
browse1803
niddle1808
poke1811
fal-lal1818
potter1824
footer1825
putter1827
shaffle1828
to fool about1838
mike1838
piffle1847
mess1853
to muck about1856
tinker1856
bohemianize1857
to fool around1860
frivol1866
june1869
muss1876
to muddle about (also around)1877
slummock1877
dicker1888
moodle1893
to fart about1899
to fart about (or around)1899
plouter1899
futz1907
monkey1916
to arse around1919
to play around1929
to fuck around1931
tool1932
frig1933
boondoggle1935
to muck around1935
to screw around1935
to bugger about1937
to bugger around1939
to piss about1943
to dick around1948
to jerk around1953
fart-arse1954
to fanny around1969
slop1973
dork1982
to twat around (or about)1992
to dick about1996
?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature ii. sig. Avijv Ye are dysposed to dallye.
1594 Willobie his Auisa xxxi. f. 27v The posie..bids you, Do but dally not, Do so sweete hart, and doe not stay, For daungers grow from sound delay.
1599 T. Heywood 1st Pt. King Edward IV sig. D3 We dallied not, but made all haste we could.
1647 R. Stapleton tr. Juvenal Sixteen Satyrs xvi. 285 If, being my debtour, he..stand Dallying to pay me.
1822 W. Irving Bracebridge Hall i. 6 Lest when he find me dallying along..he may hurry ahead.
1860 M. F. Maury Physical Geogr. Sea (ed. 8) xv. §651 One vessel..dallying in the Doldrums for days.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (transitive)]
forslowc888
eldc897
forsita940
gele971
lengOE
drilla1300
delayc1300
onfrestc1300
tarryc1320
jornc1330
dretchc1380
defer1382
forbida1387
to put offa1387
to put (also set) (something) in (or on) delaya1393
dilate1399
fordrawa1400
to put overc1410
latch?c1422
adjournc1425
prolongc1425
proloynec1425
rejournc1425
to put in respite1428
sleuthc1430
respitea1450
prorogue1453
refer1466
sleep1470
supersede1482
respectc1487
postpone1496
overseta1500
respett1500
enjourna1513
relong1523
retract1524
tarde1524
track1524
to fode forth1525
tract1527
protract1528
further1529
to make stay of1530
surcease1530
prorogate1534
to fay upon longc1540
linger1543
retard?1543
slake1544
procrastine1548
reprieve1548
remit1550
suspense1556
leave1559
shiftc1562
suspend1566
procrastinate1569
dally1574
post1577
to hold off1580
drift1584
loiter1589
postpose1598
to take one's (own) timea1602
flag1602
slug1605
elong1610
belay1613
demur1613
tardya1616
to hang up1623
frist1637
disjourn1642
future1642
off1642
waive1653
superannuate1655
perendinate1656
stave1664
detard1675
remora1686
to put back1718
withhold1726
protract1737
to keep over1847
to hold over1853
laten1860
to lay over1885
hold1891
back-burner1975
1574 J. Whitgift Def. Aunswere to Admon. i. 69 This is but a shift to dallie of a matter which you cannot answere.
1589 R. Greene Menaphon sig. E4v Fates and Fortune dallying a dolefull Catastrophe.
a1593 C. Marlowe Tragicall Hist. Faustus (1616) sig. F2 But wherefore doe I dally my reuenge?
1611 J. Speed Hist. Great Brit. ix. xxi. 756/1 The Counsell of Flanders..dallied him off with many excuses.
1633 T. Adams Comm. 2 Peter (ii. 2) 425 Neither dally this execution.
1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel I. 34 Some long, long dallied promise to fulfil.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > trickery, playing jokes > trick, hoax [verb (transitive)]
jape1362
bejape1377
play1562
jugglea1592
dally1595
trick1595
bore1602
jadea1616
to fool off1631
top1663
whiska1669
hocus1675
to put a sham upon1677
sham1677
fun?1685
to put upon ——1687
rig1732
humbug1750
hum1751
to run a rig1764
hocus-pocus1774
cram1794
hoax1796
kid1811
string1819
to play off1821
skylark1823
frisk1825
stuff1844
lark1848
kiddy1851
soap1857
to play it (on)1864
spoof1889
to slip (something) over (on)1912
cod1941
to pull a person's chain1975
game1996
1595 S. Daniel First Fowre Bks. Ciuile Warres ii. xix. sig. H Pleasd but with shewes, and dalied with delight.
1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. xxv. sig. M8v Like a cunning Curtizan, that dallies the Ruffian to vndoe himselfe.
1677 R. Gilpin Dæmonol. Sacra i. xi. 86 Mark-Antony by this means became a Slave to Cleopatra..and so dallied himself into his ruine.
7. to dally away: to consume or spend (time) in dalliance or by dallying.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > spending time > spend time or allow time to pass [verb (transitive)] > waste time
leese?c1225
losea1340
defer1382
wastea1400
slip1435
consumea1500
superexpend1513
slow?1522
sloth1523
to fode forth1525
slack1548
dree1584
sleuth1584
confound1598
spenda1604
to fret out1608
to spin out1608
misplace1609
spend1614
tavern1628
devast1632
to drill away, on, outa1656
dulla1682
to dally away1685
squander1693
to linger awaya1704
dangle1727
dawdle1768
slim1812
diddle1826
to run out the clock1957
the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > flirt, philander, or dally [verb (intransitive)]
flicker?c1225
dallyc1440
mird?c1625
pickeer1646
to dally away1685
niggle1696
coquet1700
gallant1744
philander1778
flirt1781
fike1804
gallivant1823
butterfly1893
vamp1904
romance1907
to fool up1933
floss1938
cop1940
horse1953
the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > cause to be idle or inactive [verb (transitive)] > occupy oneself triflingly with > waste (time) in trifling activity
trifle outa1450
trifle1532
loiter1549
picklea1568
toy1575
trifle1587
rust1604
to idle (time) away1652
fool1657
to dally away1685
dangle1727
to piddle away1743
peddle1866
potter1883
putter1911
gold-brick1918
1685 in Roxburghe Ballads VII. 473 Now when the night was dalli'd away..She 'rose and left me snoring in bed.
1759 T. Flloyd tr. T.-S. Gueullette Tartarian Tales 229 They had dallied away a Part of the Night.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth viii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 213 [He] asked them..what they meant by dallying away precious time.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1940v.c1300