dilly

[ dil-ee ]

/ ˈdɪl i /

noun, plural dil·lies. Informal.

something or someone regarded as remarkable, unusual, etc.: a dilly of a movie.

Nearby words

dilli, dillinger, dillinger, john, dillon, dillweed, dilly, dilly bag, dilly-dally, dillydally, diltiazem, diltiazem hydrochloride

Origin of dilly

1930–35; Americanism; earlier as adj.: wonderful, apparently a shortening of delightful or delicious, with -y¹ (now taken as -y²)

Definition for dilly (2 of 3)

Dili

or Dil·li, Dil·ly

[ dil-ee ]

/ ˈdɪl i /

noun

a city on NE Timor, in S Indonesia.

Definition for dilly (3 of 3)

Dilli

or Dil·ly

[ dil-ee ]

/ ˈdɪl i /

noun

Dili.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dilly

After showing promise, she was plucked out and sent to Bletchley to work in the research unit run by Dilly Knox.
Week in Death: The Woman Who Cracked Hitler’s Codes|The Telegraph|November 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
For he had not meant that Dilly should fence any land just yet.
The Long Shadow|B. M. Bower
Dilly--Nay, if you will take it upon you, I am sure I shall be very happy to see them both here.
Library Of The World's Best Literature, Ancient And Modern, Vol. 5|Various
Finally, after watching him a moment with her keen eyes, Dilly touched him lightly on the arm.
Meadow Grass|Alice Brown

Dilly ran after him, threatening and coaxing, but he did not notice her.
Dew Drops, Vol. 37, No. 34, August 23, 1914|Various
Mr. Dilly was in the Woodruff District to build a backfire against this conflagration of the county superintendent.
The Brown Mouse|Herbert Quick

British Dictionary definitions for dilly (1 of 3)

dilly

/ (ˈdɪlɪ) /

noun plural -lies

slang, mainly US and Canadian a person or thing that is remarkable

Word Origin for dilly

C20: perhaps from girl's proper name Dilly

British Dictionary definitions for dilly (2 of 3)

dilly

/ (ˈdɪlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

Australian and NZ slang silly

Word Origin for dilly

C20: perhaps from silly

British Dictionary definitions for dilly (3 of 3)

Dili

Dilli

/ (ˈdiːliː) /

noun

the capital (from 2002) of independent East Timor: the former capital (until 1976) of Portuguese Timor. Pop: 50 000 (2005 est)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012