lollygag

To lollygag is to dilly-dally, dawdle, loaf around, or goof off. If you’re lollygagging, you’re wasting time by moving slowly or doing something less important than what you should be (or doing nothing at all).

Lollygag is primarily used in the United States. It is synonymous with the very similar spelled lallygag, but lollygag is more commonly used. Both are very informal.

Example: Coach yelled at Spencer for lollygagging at practice.

The first recorded uses of lollygag and lallygag come from around the 1860s. They are considered Americanisms—meaning they likely originated in and are most used in the United States. But their etymological origin is unknown. The word loll, meaning to “recline or lean in a relaxed or lazy manner” (as in loll on the couch) has been in use since the 1300s, but there is no evidence connecting it to lollygag. Nor is there any evidence that the second part is based on the sense of the word gag referring to a joke or trick. So we’ll stop lollygagging and start talking about how it’s used.

A somewhat formal definition of lollygag is “to waste time idly.” But lollygag is a very informal word applied to the kind of very informal activities best known as goofing off or messing around or dilly-dallying. If you’re supposed to be doing your homework but you’re messing around with your friends by doing nothing in particular, you’re lollygagging. Sometimes, lollygag means “to loiter” or “to do just about nothing at all.” It’s also commonly used to mean “to move slowly or drag behind,” as in Quit lollygagging back there and catch up with the rest of the group!

Lallygag (and to a lesser extent lollygag) was formerly used as a slang term meaning “to kiss or engage in sexual activity,” but it is not really used this way anymore (although some of its synonyms are, such as mess around).

What are some other forms related to lollygag?

• lollygags (verb, present tense)
• lollygagged (verb, past tense
• lollygagging (verb, continuous tense)
• lollygagger (noun)

What are some synonyms for lollygag?

• dilly-dally
• dawdle

What are some words that share a root or word element with lollygag? 

• lallygag

What are some words that often get used in discussing lollygag?

• waste
• idle
• lounge
• goof
• horseplay
• loiter

Lollygag is most commonly used by people in the U.S. talking about wasting time or taking longer than they should to do something.

@GroovyBruce I finally found a place where I can lollygag in peace and solace. #lollygagging pic.twitter.com/WkLNAjIME1

— ll friedrice – Levi (@ll_friedrice) February 29, 2020

Know I said it was going to only take an hour but I decided to lollygag a bit. To get a better feel for the music even though it's just a simple piano playing in the background by a beginning pianist like myself. Automated through MIDI but at least it's something.

— A.J. (@AJMAugOfficial) February 28, 2020

I don't really wanna do work today. Lol. I keep lollygagging and taking longer than I need to. But I just don't feel like doing it.

— The Master Chief (@AshWahinee) March 2, 2020

Which of the following words is an antonym (opposite) of lollygag?

A. dawdle
B. idle
C. hurry
D. loiter