i Register
In some senses, dally is marked as colloquial. Watch for register when choosing this word.
dally
/ˈdæli/
verb 4noun 3name 1
Collocations
4ADJ.
longer, over, perfect
VERB + DALLY
dare, steer
DALLY + NOUN
cup
PREP.
out, with
Definitions
verb
1
To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle.
I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power / To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause, / Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.
[…] after we by our presumptuous delays have put off God, and dallied with his grace; […]
2
To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet
Not dallying with a Brace of Curtizans,
2024, The November Nethack Tournament achievements Dally with a foocubus
3
To delay unnecessarily; to while away.
noun
1
Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.
What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally.
verb
1
To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is attached to the pommel of a western style saddle) after the roping of an animal
The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power / To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause, / Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.
Wiktionary02
[…] after we by our presumptuous delays have put off God, and dallied with his grace; […]
Wiktionary03
[…] we have trifled too long already about a matter of such infinite moment, it is perfect Madness to dally any longer. […]
Wiktionary04
What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally.
Wiktionary05
The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
Wiktionary06
We have known Mazagon and long-pod Beans to be thrown out of a dally, because they were full of seed!
WiktionaryUsage Notes
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