dalliance
Americannoun
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a trifling away of time; dawdling.
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amorous toying; flirtation.
noun
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waste of time in frivolous action or in dawdling
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an archaic word for flirtation
Etymology
Origin of dalliance
First recorded in 1300–50, dalliance is from the Middle English word daliaunce. See dally, -ance
Explanation
A dalliance is a playful flirtation, one that might lead to a casual romance. The king's public dalliance toward the lady in waiting shocked everyone in the court except for the queen. First appearing in Middle English, the noun dalliance stems from the verb dally, meaning "to waste time, to act playfully, especially in a flirtatious way." Dalliance often describes a casual flirtation — generally something short-term and not very serious. Your aunt may blush when you mention her dalliance with the rugby player she met that time in Dublin. Dalliance can also refer to goofing off when you should be working. Your coworker's continued dalliance can result in missed deadlines.
Vocabulary lists containing dalliance
The Downstairs Girl
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Henry V
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"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark," Act 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He founded his own record company, called Dalliance.
From New York Times • Feb. 20, 2020
Dalliance, if any, is icing on the cake.
From Slate • Dec. 19, 2011
Path of Dalliance is modeled on the same book, but is a bore.
From Time Magazine Archive
With Dalliance and Strife the author completes a trilogy upon the Boer War, but here we are given too much flirtation and too little fighting.
From Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, October 21, 1914 by Various
Nay, prithee, good Queen, leave me—I am dull, Unfit for Dalliance now.
From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume II by Summers, Montague
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
