dillydallies
Lingers without purpose
Dillydallies means wastes time through indecision or aimless delay.
Someone who dillydallies lingers when they should be moving, dawdles when they should decide: Stop dillydallying and pick a restaurant.
The word carries a tone of mild exasperation, often directed at children or anyone dragging their feet.
Idle aimlessly, delay
- moseyWalk in no rush
- ambleRelaxed, slow gait
- saunterRelaxed, aimless stride
- meanderTo travel without direction
putter · lounge · laze · unhurried · languid · ramble · stroll · mooch
Linger without purpose
- tarryDelay one's leaving
- lingerStay beyond necessity
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- procrastinateDelay action unnecessarily
postpone · drag · loiter · temporize · dither · lag · delay · defer
Hesitate or fluctuate
- vacillateWaver between choices
- hesitatePause in uncertainty
- ditherNervous inability to choose
- equivocateSpeak vaguely to mislead
falter · waffle · oscillate · teeter · fence-sit · second-guess · flip-flop · irresolute
lollygag
Idle aimlessly, delay
meander · putter · lounge · laze · unhurried · languid · ramble · stroll · mooch · potter
dawdle
Linger without purpose
procrastinate · postpone · drag · loiter · temporize · dither · lag · delay · defer · prolong
waver
Hesitate or fluctuate
equivocate · falter · waffle · oscillate · teeter · fence-sit · second-guess · flip-flop · irresolute · uncertain
dillydalliestakes action
Begins doing something
gets down to business · buckles down · knuckles down · focuses · commits