What does dillydally mean?
Dillydally is an informal verb meaning to waste time by dawdling, lingering, or hesitating instead of doing what needs to be done. A person who dillydallies moves slowly without purpose or delays a decision through idle fussing — think of a child who takes an hour to put on shoes, or a committee that keeps putting off a vote. The word carries a mild, often affectionate tone of reproach rather than harsh criticism, which makes it well suited to everyday speech: parents urge children not to dillydally, and colleagues tease one another about dillydallying over a deadline. It appears most often in continuous forms (dillydallying) and in imperatives such as "Stop dillydallying!" Formed as a reduplicative compound of "dally," it belongs to a lively family of English words that repeat sounds for comic or emphatic effect. Its playful sound belies its usefulness: it names a very common human behavior with precision and charm.
verbTo waste time through indecision or aimless delay; to loiter or dawdle instead of getting on with something.
- To waste time by being slow or indecisive; to dawdle or loiter when one should act.
"Stop dillydallying and make up your mind — the train leaves in ten minutes."
"The tourists dillydallied over lunch and missed the last ferry to the island."
"If we keep dillydallying, someone else will submit the bid before we do."
"Dillydally" is a reduplicative double — a word made by echoing itself, like "hocus-pocus" and "mumbo jumbo" — and it has been scolding slowpokes since at least the 17th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dillydally
Dillydally arose in English in the early 17th century as a reduplicated alteration of the verb "dally," which itself came from Old French "dalier," meaning to chat or amuse oneself. Reduplication — repeating or rhyming a word's syllables — was a productive word-building device in Early Modern English, producing similar formations such as "shilly-shally." The doubled form intensifies the sense of idle, time-wasting playfulness already present in "dally."
Related word forms
How dillydally is actually used
Informal and mildly playful in tone, often used in imperatives or complaints directed at children or procrastinators. It is common in both British and American English but sounds colloquial rather than formal.
Easily confused with dillydally
Shilly-shally means to waver indecisively between options, while dillydally emphasizes wasting time and delaying action rather than vacillating.