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View synonyms for shilly-shally

shilly-shally

[ shil-ee-shal-ee ]

verb (used without object)

, shil·ly-shal·lied, shil·ly-shal·ly·ing.
  1. to show indecision or hesitation; be irresolute; vacillate.
  2. to waste time; dawdle.


noun

, plural shil·ly-shal·lies.
  1. It was sheer shilly-shally on his part.

adverb

  1. irresolutely.
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Other Words From

  • shilly-shalli·er noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shilly-shally1

First recorded in 1690–1700; originally repeated question, shall I? shall I?; later altered on the model of its synonym dilly-dally
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Example Sentences

Strange that people will have so much faith in shilly-shally!

"I have little experience of shilly-shally methods," replied his visitor.

I hear the shilly-shally policy of the English Government bitterly condemned.

I had rather be sent home to fight manfully, or to make peace politically, than to be in this miserable shilly-shally way here.

What keeps the simple man dallying shilly-shally at the fence, as if he actually wanted them to take him?

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