dally
v. C1 Advanced US //ˈdæɫi// UK //dˈæli// dal·ly
v. to waste time or delay doing something. You use this when someone is being too slow or is not taking action quickly enough.
v. to waste time or delay; to linger unnecessarily. Often used in the negative to express impatience or a desire for immediate action.
Don't dally with your homework; you have a test tomorrow.
The manager warned the team not to dally with the new software, as the deadline was only two days away.
While the explorers were tempted to dally at the scenic overlook, the approaching storm forced them to press on toward the safety of the valley.
From Middle English dalien, from Anglo-Norman delaier. Doublet of delay.
Possibly from Spanish dale vuelta (“twist it around”) by law of Hobson-Jobson, from dale + la + vuelta.