dally
verb
dal·ly ˈda-lē 
dallied; dallying
intransitive verb
1
a
: to act playfully
especially : to play amorously
b
: to deal lightly : toy
accused him of dallying with a serious problem
2
a
: to waste time
b
: linger, dawdle
dallier noun
Did you know?
The Evolution of Dally
English speakers have been playing with dally since the 14th century. They first started using the word with the meaning "to chat," which was also the meaning of the Anglo-French word from which it was derived, but that meaning fell into disuse. Next, dalliers were amusing themselves by acting playfully with each other especially in amorous and flirtatious ways. Apparently, some dalliers were also a bit derisive, leading dally to mean "to deal with lightly or in a way that is not serious." It didn't take long for the fuddy-duddies to criticize all this play as a waste of time. By the mid-16th century, dally was weighted down with its "to waste time" and "to dawdle" senses.
Synonyms
- disport
- frolic
- play
- recreate
- rollick
- skylark
- sport
- toy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The two of us dallied over our coffee that morning.
Recent Examples on the Web The deadline for submitting ideas for the next set has also been extended until Sept. 1, so don’t dilly-dally with yours. 
Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2020 Before taking control of the Gaullist party in 1976, Mr. Chirac dallied with the Communist and Socialist Parties. New York Times, 26 Sep. 2019 No unplugged shows for her, no Bon Iver covers or dallying with avant-garde producers: David Guetta and Sia will do, thank you very much. New York Times, 29 Feb. 2020 WikiLeaks has also been accused of serving as a conduit for Russian misinformation, and Assange has alienated some supporters by dallying with populist politicians including Brexit-promoter Nigel Farage. NBC News, 24 Feb. 2020 In an attempt to egg him on through jealousy, Ness herself has been dallying, with unfortunate consequences. Clair Wills, The New York Review of Books, 7 Jan. 2020 Harry Kane scored the crucial goal five minutes from the end after Jack Grealish was caught dallying on the ball, and the Villa captain was punished by the clinical striker. SI.com, 10 Aug. 2019 Enough dilly dallying, when are the Broncos going to put in Drew Lock as their starting quarterback? Ryan O’halloran, The Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2019 Books are meant to be long, dallying detours into other worlds. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2019 See More
Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2020 Before taking control of the Gaullist party in 1976, Mr. Chirac dallied with the Communist and Socialist Parties. New York Times, 26 Sep. 2019 No unplugged shows for her, no Bon Iver covers or dallying with avant-garde producers: David Guetta and Sia will do, thank you very much. New York Times, 29 Feb. 2020 WikiLeaks has also been accused of serving as a conduit for Russian misinformation, and Assange has alienated some supporters by dallying with populist politicians including Brexit-promoter Nigel Farage. NBC News, 24 Feb. 2020 In an attempt to egg him on through jealousy, Ness herself has been dallying, with unfortunate consequences. Clair Wills, The New York Review of Books, 7 Jan. 2020 Harry Kane scored the crucial goal five minutes from the end after Jack Grealish was caught dallying on the ball, and the Villa captain was punished by the clinical striker. SI.com, 10 Aug. 2019 Enough dilly dallying, when are the Broncos going to put in Drew Lock as their starting quarterback? Ryan O’halloran, The Denver Post, 26 Nov. 2019 Books are meant to be long, dallying detours into other worlds. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English dalyen, from Anglo-French dalier
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing dally
Kids Definition
dally
verb
dal·ly ˈda-lē
dallied; dallying
1
: to act playfully
Boys and girls dallied at the dance.
2
: to waste time
I dallied at my desk and didn't finish my homework.
3
: linger sense 1, dawdle
Don't dally on your way home.
dallied
verb
1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- played
- toyed
- frolicked
- entertained
- rollicked
- recreated
- joked
- disported
- amused
- sported
- skylarked
- cavorted
- relaxed
- dabbled
- gamboled
- romped
- trifled
- dawdled
- delighted
- dabbled
- rested
- pleased
- gambolled
- frisked
- teased
- diverted
- loafed
- hanged
- idled
- jested
- hung
- screwed around
- goldbricked
- messed around
- puttered (around)
- hung about
- fiddled (around)
- slacked (off)
- lounged (around or about)
- bummed (around)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- worked
- toiled
- labored
- struggled
- plodded
- wrought
- sweated
- strove
- slaved
- strained
- strived
- plugged (away)
- sweat
- drudged
2
as in delayed
to move or act slowly don't dally on the way to the interview Synonyms & Similar Words
- delayed
- lingered
- poked
- dragged
- crawled
- strolled
- dawdled
- loitered
- crept
- tarried
- played
- diddled
- lollygagged
- stalled
- lagged
- lounged
- shuffled
- fell behind
- dropped behind
- dillydallied
- marked time
- lallygagged
- hung fire
- moped
- idled
- loafed
- sauntered
- trifled
- staggered
- ambled
- dragged one's heels
- shilly-shallied
- procrastinated
- dragged one's feet
- temporized
- took one's time
- lolled
- inched
- lumbered
- plodded
- eased
- fooled around
- decelerated
- messed around
- puttered (around)
- pottered (around)
- fiddled (around)
- filibustered
- monkeyed (around)
- hanged (around or out)
- hung (around or out)
- slowed (down or up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- raced
- hurried
- scurried
- hastened
- rushed
- sped
- ran
- scudded
- scooted
- flew
- dashed
- speeded
- bolted
- whisked
- whirled
- run
- darted
- whizzed
- rocketed
- hustled
- zipped
- tore
- careered
- breezed
- hurtled
- coursed
- scrambled
- ripped
- barrelled
- trotted
- barreled
- galloped
- stampeded
- bowled
- hotfooted (it)
- ran
- humped
- sprinted
- jogged
- run
- accelerated
- overtook
- quickened
- outstripped
- outran
- outpaced
- speeded (up)
- sped (up)
- caught up
- fast-forwarded
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house Synonyms & Similar Words
- flirted
- coquetted
- toyed
- trifled
- frivolled
- wooed
- frivoled
- courted
- vamped
- teased
- razzed
- kidded
- joshed
- messed around
- fooled
- ribbed
- mashed
- strung along
- led on
- put on
- manipulated
- played (with)
4
as in dawdled
to spend time doing nothing I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer Synonyms & Similar Words
- dawdled
- lounged
- loafed
- strolled
- lazed
- idled
- lazied
- played
- droned
- chilled
- rested
- poked
- lingered
- lolled
- relaxed
- dillydallied
- bummed
- mucked
- kicked back
- killed time
- messed
- loitered
- monkeyed
- trifled
- piddled
- hung about
- footled
- fooled
- twiddled one's thumbs
- sauntered
- vegged out
- ambled
- hacked (around)
- hanged (around or out)
- dozed
- tarried
- kicked around
- hibernated
- swanned
- moseyed
- goofed (off)
- lagged
- hung (around or out)
- estivated
- malingered
- puttered (around)
- truanted
- pottered (around)
- aestivated
- fiddled (around)
- goldbricked
- furloughed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- toiled
- labored
- worked
- plodded
- wrought
- hustled
- plowed
- sweated
- plugged
- slaved
- pegged
- ground
- humped
- applied
- grubbed
- sweat
- drudged
- travailed
- buckled (down)
- exerted
- moiled
- put out