dawdle

[ dawd-l ]
/ ˈdɔd l /

verb (used without object), daw·dled, daw·dling.

to waste time; idle; trifle; loiter: Stop dawdling and help me with these packages!
to move slowly, languidly, or dilatorily; saunter.

verb (used with object), daw·dled, daw·dling.

to waste (time) by or as if by trifling (usually followed by away): He dawdled away the whole morning.

Origin of dawdle

First recorded in 1650–60; variant of daddle to toddle

SYNONYMS FOR dawdle

1, 2 See loiter.
3 fritter, putter, idle, trifle.

OTHER WORDS FROM dawdle

daw·dler, noun daw·dling·ly, adverb

Words nearby dawdle

Example sentences from the Web for dawdle

British Dictionary definitions for dawdle

dawdle
/ (ˈdɔːdəl) /

verb

(intr) to be slow or lag behind
(when tr, often foll by away) to waste (time); trifle

Derived forms of dawdle

dawdler, noun dawdlingly, adverb

Word Origin for dawdle

C17: of uncertain origin