to dance (a small child) up and down on the knee or in the arms
to pamper; indulge
Origin:
< ? or akin to OIt dandolare, (later) dondolare, to swing up and down, dally, trifle
See dandle in American Heritage Dictionary 4
transitive verbdan·dled, dan·dling, dan·dles
To move (a small child) up and down on the knees or in the arms in a playful way: “Somebody who was dandled on Queen Victoria's knee must appear an old fogy”(Edward, Duke of Windsor).