dilly dallied
Lingered without purpose
Dilly dallied is the past tense of dilly-dally, meaning to waste time through indecision or aimless delay.
It suggests dawdling or puttering rather than urgent procrastination: We dilly dallied at the market and missed our train.
The word has a playful, old-fashioned quality.
- temporizeDelay to avoid decision
- dawdledMoved slowly, idly
- lingerStay beyond necessity
- tarriedDelayed in departing
- vacillateWaver between choices
hemmed and hawed · delay · stalled · wasted time · hesitated · postponed · put off · procrastinated · sat on it · loitered · shilly-shallied · lollygagged · wavered · faltered · doubted · beat around the bush · idled · killed time
dilly dallieddecided
Reached a conclusion
committed · took action · resolved · took the plunge · pulled the trigger
dilly dalliedgot down to business
Began serious work
focused · buckled down · knuckled down · applied oneself · concentrated
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