dillydally

American  

[dil-ee-dal-ee, -dal-] / ˈdɪl iˌdæl i, -ˈdæl- /

verb (used without object)

dillydallies, present (3rd person singular) dillydallied, past participle, past dillydallying present participle

1. to waste time, especially by indecision; vacillate; trifle; loiter.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• dillydallying
  present
• dillydallied
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dillydally
  simple
• dillydallies
  simple
• have dillydallied
  perfect
• has dillydallied
  perfect
• am dillydallying
  progressive
• are dillydallying
  progressive
• is dillydallying
  progressive
• have been dillydallying
  perfect progressive
• has been dillydallying
  perfect progressive

Past

• dillydallied
  simple
• had dillydallied
  perfect
• was dillydallying
  progressive
• were dillydallying
  progressive
• had been dillydallying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dillydally
  simple
• will have dillydallied
  perfect
• will be dillydallying
  progressive
• will have been dillydallying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dillydally

First recorded in 1735–45; gradational reduplication of dally