What does dally mean?
Dally is a verb with two closely connected senses: to waste time or move sluggishly when action is expected, and to engage in lighthearted flirtation without serious commitment. A person might dally over a decision, dawdle along a route, or dally with a dangerous scheme they have no real intention of pursuing. The word most often appears in the construction "dally with," applied both to abstract temptations (danger, rebellion, an idea) and to romantic partners. Its tone is neutral to slightly literary, and it frequently carries an undertone of mild disapproval — implying that someone is being frivolous, evasive, or insincere. Etymologically it traces back through Middle English to Old French, where it originally meant simply to chat or converse idly; that sense of purposeless talk gradually evolved into the modern idea of purposeless delay and casual romance. Related forms include "dalliance," meaning flirtatious or time-wasting behavior, which remains common in literary writing. For writers seeking a compact alternative to longer phrases like "waste time" or "toy with," dally offers elegance and precision.
To waste time or act in a leisurely, indecisive manner; to delay unnecessarily.
"The committee dallied for weeks before reaching a decision."
Commonly takes "with" when directed at an object: dally with an idea, dally with danger.
To flirt or engage in casual romantic play, typically without serious intent.
"He liked to dally with admirers at parties but never pursued anyone seriously."
This sense often carries a connotation of insincerity or trifling with another person's feelings.
When you dally, you're doing what medieval English speakers did when they merely 'chatted' — the word once meant idle talk before it came to mean wasting time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dally
Dally entered English via Middle English (as dailien), borrowed from Old French dalier meaning "to chat" or "converse." Its original sense was idle talking or socializing, which broadened over time to mean wasting time generally and, later, engaging in casual amorous play. The noun dalliance developed from the same source. The precise details of the Old French word's further origins are uncertain, so its deeper ancestry is best described as obscure.
Related word forms
How dally is actually used
Often used transitively in the phrase "dally with," especially with abstract objects like ideas, danger, or temptation. The flirtation sense can carry a mildly disapproving connotation, suggesting insincerity or trifling with someone's affections. Register is neutral to slightly formal or literary.
Easily confused with dally
"Daily" means occurring every day or each day, while "dally" means to waste time or flirt casually — the two differ by one letter but share nothing in meaning.