dilly

[ dil-ee ]

/ ˈdɪl i /

Save This Word!

noun, plural dil·lies.Informal.

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

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of dilly

An Americanism first recorded in 1905–10; it was at first an adjective: “wonderful,” apparently a shortening of delicious, with -y¹ (now taken as -y²)

Words nearby dilly

Dillinger, Dillinger, John, Dillon, dill pickle, dillweed, dilly, dilly bag, dillydally, diltiazem, diluent, dilute

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dilly in a sentence

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
After all, flu dilly-dallied last season, barely making a peep.
Flu Outbreak Spreads Across U.S. as Media Drops the Ball|Kent Sepkowitz|January 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Why dilly-dally with teenage angst when you can bring on the Giant Robots, that was my motto.
The Great Summer Read Is Here|Jane Ciabattari|February 19, 2009|DAILY BEAST
When we entered Mr. Dilly's drawing room, he found himself in the midst of a company he did not know.
The Ontario Readers: The High School Reader, 1886|Ministry of Education

Here we are frightened at names, dilly-dallying and quarreling over idle words, when a tremendous crisis calls for acts.
Continental Monthly, Vol. I. February, 1862, No. II.|Various
But its no use dilly-dallying, and Shultz may as well understand it.
The New Boys at Oakdale|Morgan Scott
And your dad will be angry because you dilly-dallied so long.
The Inspector-General|Nicolay Gogol
Fer if ther is, Dilly Quinn an Bess are angels, sure as sure.
In Wild Rose Time|Amanda M. Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for dilly (1 of 2)

dilly¹

/ (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 2)

dilly²

/ (ˈdɪlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

Australian and NZ slang silly

Word Origin for dilly

C20: perhaps from silly

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