dally

[ dal-ee ]
/ ˈdæl i /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR dally ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), dal·lied, dal·ly·ing.

to waste time; loiter; delay.
to act playfully, especially in an amorous or flirtatious way.
to play mockingly; trifle: to dally with danger.

verb (used with object), dal·lied, dal·ly·ing.

to waste (time) (usually followed by away).

Origin of dally

1250–1300; Middle English dalien < Anglo-French dalier to chat, of uncertain origin

SYNONYMS FOR dally

1 See loiter.
2 flirt, tease, trifle.
3 toy.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR dally ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM dally

dal·li·er, noun dal·ly·ing·ly, adverb un·dal·ly·ing, adjective

Words nearby dally

dallas, dalles, dalliance, dallin, dallis grass, dally, dalmane, dalmatia, dalmatian, dalmatic, dalny

Words related to dallied

linger, putter, tarry, drag, procrastinate, trail, idle, loiter, lag, boondoggle, lollygag, cosset, frolic, gambol, rollick, romp, tamper, wanton, frivol

Example sentences from the Web for dallied

British Dictionary definitions for dallied

dally
/ (ˈdælɪ) /

verb -lies, -lying or -lied (intr)

to waste time idly; dawdle
(usually foll by with) to deal frivolously or lightly with; trifle; toy to dally with someone's affections

Derived forms of dally

dallier, noun

Word Origin for dally

C14: from Anglo-French dalier to gossip, of uncertain origin