dally Definition
dally (dal′ē)
intransitive verb -·lied, -·ly·ing
- to flirt; play at love
- to deal lightly or carelessly (with); trifle; toy
- to waste time; loiter
Etymology: ME dalien < OFr dalier, to converse, trifle
dally Related Forms
dal′·lier (-ē ər, -yər) noun
dally Synonyms
dally
v.
dally Usage Examples
Preposition: on
ball: He dallied on the ball too much usually geting caught in posession which lead to a few goals being conceded.
Modifying Another Word
- not: Then let them come on foot; We may not dally time with great command.
- long: You may dally as long as you like by the roadside.
- also: Austria, a very conservative country, also dallied with it.
- still: He was the giant of the new realist theater at a time when our West End was still dallying with drawing room comedies.
- n't: But do n't dally: many scholarships have lengthy applications procedures and deadlines several months ahead of the MBA application deadline.
- entertainingly: Yet he entertainingly dallies with the subgenre in the saints ' stories that the nuns, including María, drink in.
Used with why or when
where: This time we dallied where appropriate ( many places ) and I was astounded.
Preposition: in
- possession: Mention for Francey who had a good game at right back, a couple of dallies in possession aside.
- garden: While I dally here in the gardens of philosophy, my Elena is at home sharpening knives. ' 'Have we neglected Nature?
Preposition: with
- subgenre: Yet he entertainingly dallies with the subgenre in the saints ' stories that the nuns, including María, drink in.
- woman: While you were dilly dallying with that woman over there my daughter died.
Preposition: for
while: You could dally for a while along Beacon Street, an artful string of cafés, boutiques and galleries.
Browse dictionary entries near dally
- ‹ Dallis grass
- ‹ dalliance
- ‹ dalles
- ‹ Dallek, Robert
- ‹ Dallas
- ‹ Dall sheep
- ‹ Dalian
- ‹ Dalhousie
- ‹ Dalglish, Kenny
- ‹ daleth

