Word
dally
Phoneticsdal·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdæɫi/
UK/dˈæli/
Definition
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.
Examples
“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.”
Examples
simple
“Don't dally with your homework; you have a test tomorrow.”
contextual
“The manager warned the team not to dally with the new software, as the deadline was only two days away.”
complex
“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.”
Real-World Examples
“They would double or triple team him, knowing that he wasn’t the best passer and that he would often dally on the ball.” “They reached the penalty area with a numbers advantage, three on two, but Seydou Fini dallied and got dispossessed as he checked back.” Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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