shilly-shallyv.
1. intransitive.
a. To vacillate, be irresolute or undecided.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute or vacillate [verb (intransitive)]
haltc825
flecchec1300
waverc1315
flickerc1325
wag1387
swervea1400
floghter1521
stacker1526
to be of (occasionally in) many (also divers) minds1530
wave1532
stagger1533
to hang in the wind1536
to waver as, like, with the wind1548
mammer1554
sway1563
dodge1568
erch1584
suspend1585
float1598
swag1608
hoverc1620
hesitate1623
vacillate1623
fluctuate1634
demur1641
balance1656
to be at shall I, shall I (not)1674
to stand shall I, shall I1674
to go shill-I shall-I1700
to stand at shilly-shally1700
to act, to keep (upon), the volanta1734
whiffle1737
dilly-dally1740
to be in (also of, occasionally on) two minds (also in twenty minds, in (also of) several minds, etc.)1751
oscillate1771
shilly-shally1782
dacker1817
librate1822
humdrum1825
swing1833
(to stand or sit) on or upon the fence1848
to back and fill1854
haver1866
wobble1867
shaffle1873
dicker1879
to be on the weigh-scales1886
waffle1894
to think twice1898
to teeter on the brink1902
dither1908
vagulate1918
pern1920
1782 F. Burney Cecilia V. ix. vi. 119 So I suppose he'll shilly shally till somebody else will cry snap, and take her.
1842 W. M. Thackeray Miss Tickletoby's Lect. ix This Bruce had been for a long time shilly-shallying as to the side he should take.
1879 F. W. Farrar Life & Work St. Paul I. vi. xxiii. 441 To shilly-shally on the matter, to act in one way to-day and in a different way to-morrow.
b. Occasionally analysed into two verbs, ‘shilly’ and ‘shally’: see quots.
ΚΠ
1836 T. Hook Gilbert Gurney II. iv. 203 It would be all idleness to go on shillying-shallying with her.
1891 Daily News 3 June 2/2 Sir William made the statement..that L. had shillied and shallied, and had then said ‘I saw something’.
2. transitive. To show indecision in one's dealings with.Apparently an isolated use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute about [verb (transitive)] > vacillate in dealings with
shilly-shally1864
1864 S. Wilberforce in R. G. Wilberforce Life S. Wilberforce (1882) III. 152 If you go mystifying and shillyshallying them [sc. nonconformists].
Derivatives
ˈshilly-ˌshallying n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [noun]
yea-and-nayc1384
vacillationc1400
titteringa1413
stackeringc1440
wondingc1440
fluctuationc1450
waver1519
mammering1532
uncertainty1548
wavering1548
to and fro1553
suspense1560
staggering1565
suspension1568
mammery1578
demur1581
branle1591
dilly-dally1592
hesitance1601
irresolution1601
uncertainness1601
undecision1611
waveringness1614
hesitancy1617
unsettledness1619
hesitation1622
unresolvednessa1626
doubleness of minda1628
wavinga1628
swagging1636
poise1637
mambling1640
stickagea1647
vacillancy1668
whifflinga1677
hovering1679
unresolve1679
irresoluteness1686
shilly-shally1755
indecisiona1763
undecisiveness1779
indecisiveness1793
oscillation1798
flexility1815
shilly-shallying1842
swaying1850
Hamletism1852
teeter1855
havering1866
off and on1875
dilly-dallying1879
double-mindedness1881
hesitatingness1890
dither1958
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [adjective]
twiredec888
orrathc1175
twofoldc1175
twifoldc1200
waveringc1315
uncertain1382
suspensec1440
mammeringa1450
flowing?1504
floghtering1521
vacillant1521
in a mammering1532
double-minded1552
unstaid1561
unresolute1570
unresolved?1571
staggeringa1577
frittle1579
irresolute1579
cheverel1583
off and on1583
halting1585
unsettleda1593
unresolving1599
demurring1607
waving1611
suspensive1614
hoveringa1616
startling1619
irresolved1621
hesitating1622
indetermined1628
variousa1643
branling1645
hesitant1647
non-sincere1656
hesitatious1657
humdrum1660
shuttlecock1660
yea-and-nay1672
swaying1688
interpendent1708
undetermined1718
Squadronec1720
hesitatorya1734
volanta1734
shilly-shally1734
dilly-dally1749
niffy-naffy1765
wiggle-waggle1778
undecided1779
undecisive1780
indecisive1787
conflicted1789
hesitative1795
undeciding1802
vacillating1814
yea-nay1827
demurrant1836
willy-nilly1839
shilly-shallying1842
oscillative1852
Hamletish1854
vacillatory1854
dilly-dallying1879
thistledown1897
weak-principled1913
not-quite1920
off-again on-again1923
dithery1931
havering1975
1842 W. M. Thackeray Fitz-Boodle's Profess. i There shall be no shilly-shallying work here.
1843 W. M. Thackeray Bluebeard's Ghost in Fraser's Mag. Oct. 424/2 Make up your mind what you will ask him, for ghosts will stand no shilly-shallying.
1883 W. D. Howells Woman's Reason (new ed.) I. 120 If it hadn't been for my wretched shilly-shallying ways, I shouldn't have to write to him at all.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
shilly-shallyadv.adj.n.
/ˈʃɪlɪˌʃali/, U.S. /ˈʃɪliˌʃæli/ A. adv.
to stand shill I, shall I: to vacillate, to be irresolute or undecided. Also to go shill-I shall-I, to stand at shilly-shally.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute or vacillate [verb (intransitive)]
haltc825
flecchec1300
waverc1315
flickerc1325
wag1387
swervea1400
floghter1521
stacker1526
to be of (occasionally in) many (also divers) minds1530
wave1532
stagger1533
to hang in the wind1536
to waver as, like, with the wind1548
mammer1554
sway1563
dodge1568
erch1584
suspend1585
float1598
swag1608
hoverc1620
hesitate1623
vacillate1623
fluctuate1634
demur1641
balance1656
to be at shall I, shall I (not)1674
to stand shall I, shall I1674
to go shill-I shall-I1700
to stand at shilly-shally1700
to act, to keep (upon), the volanta1734
whiffle1737
dilly-dally1740
to be in (also of, occasionally on) two minds (also in twenty minds, in (also of) several minds, etc.)1751
oscillate1771
shilly-shally1782
dacker1817
librate1822
humdrum1825
swing1833
(to stand or sit) on or upon the fence1848
to back and fill1854
haver1866
wobble1867
shaffle1873
dicker1879
to be on the weigh-scales1886
waffle1894
to think twice1898
to teeter on the brink1902
dither1908
vagulate1918
pern1920
1700 W. Congreve Way of World iii. i. 47 I don't stand shill I, shall I, then; if I say't, I'll do't.
1703 R. Steele Tender Husband iii. (1705) 34 I'm for marrying her at once— Why should I stand shilly-shally, like a Country Bumpkin?
1709 W. King Eagle & Robin 92 Bob did not shill-I shall-I go, Nor said one word of friend or foe; But flirting at him made a blow.
1823 T. De Quincey tr. J. A. Apel Fatal Marksman in Pop. Tales & Romances Northern Nations III. 141 I see no good that comes of standing shilly-shally.
1847 E. Bulwer-Lytton Lucretia (ed. 2) II. ii. ii. 140 Don't stand there, shilly-shally.
1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iv. 232 The simpleton who stands..At shilly-shally, may he knock or no At his own door.
B. adj.
Vacillating, irresolute, undecided.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [adjective]
twiredec888
orrathc1175
twofoldc1175
twifoldc1200
waveringc1315
uncertain1382
suspensec1440
mammeringa1450
flowing?1504
floghtering1521
vacillant1521
in a mammering1532
double-minded1552
unstaid1561
unresolute1570
unresolved?1571
staggeringa1577
frittle1579
irresolute1579
cheverel1583
off and on1583
halting1585
unsettleda1593
unresolving1599
demurring1607
waving1611
suspensive1614
hoveringa1616
startling1619
irresolved1621
hesitating1622
indetermined1628
variousa1643
branling1645
hesitant1647
non-sincere1656
hesitatious1657
humdrum1660
shuttlecock1660
yea-and-nay1672
swaying1688
interpendent1708
undetermined1718
Squadronec1720
hesitatorya1734
volanta1734
shilly-shally1734
dilly-dally1749
niffy-naffy1765
wiggle-waggle1778
undecided1779
undecisive1780
indecisive1787
conflicted1789
hesitative1795
undeciding1802
vacillating1814
yea-nay1827
demurrant1836
willy-nilly1839
shilly-shallying1842
oscillative1852
Hamletish1854
vacillatory1854
dilly-dallying1879
thistledown1897
weak-principled1913
not-quite1920
off-again on-again1923
dithery1931
havering1975
1734 Ld. Chesterfield in Lett. C'tess Suffolk (1824) II. 95 We were mighty prudent and shilly shally whether to stay or go.
1743 M. Delany Autobiogr. & Corr. (1861) II. 208 I am shilly-shally about it in my own mind.
1792 T. Jefferson Writings (1830) IV. 470 I had heard him say that this constitution was a shilly-shally thing, of mere milk and water, which would not last.
1869 A. Trollope He knew he was Right II. lxv. 123 I'm not going to be stopped by any shilly-shally nonsense.
1886 G. J. Goschen in A. D. Elliot Life G. J. Goschen (1911) II. 9 If Gladstone is very shilly shally about the Legislative Union.
C. n.
1. Vacillation, irresolution.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [noun]
yea-and-nayc1384
vacillationc1400
titteringa1413
stackeringc1440
wondingc1440
fluctuationc1450
waver1519
mammering1532
uncertainty1548
wavering1548
to and fro1553
suspense1560
staggering1565
suspension1568
mammery1578
demur1581
branle1591
dilly-dally1592
hesitance1601
irresolution1601
uncertainness1601
undecision1611
waveringness1614
hesitancy1617
unsettledness1619
hesitation1622
unresolvednessa1626
doubleness of minda1628
wavinga1628
swagging1636
poise1637
mambling1640
stickagea1647
vacillancy1668
whifflinga1677
hovering1679
unresolve1679
irresoluteness1686
shilly-shally1755
indecisiona1763
undecisiveness1779
indecisiveness1793
oscillation1798
flexility1815
shilly-shallying1842
swaying1850
Hamletism1852
teeter1855
havering1866
off and on1875
dilly-dallying1879
double-mindedness1881
hesitatingness1890
dither1958
1755 J. Shebbeare Lydia (1769) I. 355 Mr. Muckworm..conceived marriages should be driven like bargains without shilly shally.
1847 T. De Quincey Spanish Mil. Nun in Wks. (1854) III. 10 She lost not one of her forty-five minutes in picking and choosing. No shilly-shally in Kate.
1876 ‘G. Eliot’ Daniel Deronda II. iii. xxv. 152 What I wished to point out to you was, that there can be no shilly-shally now.
2. A vacillating, irresolute person. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [noun] > irresolute or vacillating person
demurrer1533
hanger1536
staggerer1552
hobbler1575
tennis ball1589
waverer1597
halter1608
suspender1625
waver1667
fluttererc1726
oscillator1798
pendulum1818
shilly-shallyer1832
shilly-shally1834
wobbler1837
hesitater1853
dilly-dallier1880
vacillator1890
haverer1947
1834 W. S. Landor Citation & Exam. Shakespere in Wks. (1853) II. 271/1 Among the girls in the country there are many such shilly-shallys, who give themselves sore eyes and sharp eye-water.
1883 G. Saintsbury Dryden's Wks. VI. 401 The queen [in The Spanish Friar] being both bloodthirsty and inconsequent, and Torrismond a vacillating shilly-shally.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
v.1782adv.adj.n.1700