# dolly

/ˈdɑɫi/ (US) · /dˈɒli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dolly
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. child's toy

noun · CEFR A1 · Informal

a child's word for a doll.

For teachers: a diminutive or hypocoristic form of 'doll', typically used by or when speaking to young children.

- The toddler wouldn't go to sleep without her favourite dolly.
- The child clutched her tattered dolly tightly as she navigated the crowded airport terminal.

### 2. moving equipment

noun · CEFR B1

a small platform on wheels used for moving heavy things like furniture or boxes.

For teachers: a low, wheeled platform or hand truck designed to facilitate the transport of heavy or bulky objects.

- We used a furniture dolly to move the heavy sofa into the new apartment.
- The movers loaded the heavy oak desk onto a four-wheeled dolly to navigate the narrow office corridor without damaging the floor.

### 3. film camera platform

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a cart on tracks that carries a film camera to create smooth moving shots.

For teachers: a mobile platform for a camera, often mounted on tracks, used to create smooth horizontal movement in cinematography.

- The director wanted a smooth shot, so the crew set up the dolly.
- The cinematographer requested a complex dolly shot to follow the protagonist through the crowded marketplace in a single take.

### 4. roulette marker

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small marker that a dealer puts on the winning number in a game of roulette.

For teachers: a specialized marker, often made of plastic or wood, placed by the croupier on the winning number of a roulette table.

- The dealer placed the dolly on number twenty-two, and the winners cheered.
- Standard casino protocol dictates that the dealer must place the dolly on the winning number before any payouts are distributed.

### 5. frivolous woman

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a slang word for a young woman, often suggesting she is pretty but not very serious.

For teachers: a slang term for a young woman, typically implying she is attractive but frivolous or lacking in substance.

- In the old movies, he was always looking for a pretty dolly to take to the dance.
- The character was written as a stereotypical dolly, serving little purpose in the plot other than to provide visual appeal.

Teaching tip: This sense is often considered dated or patronizing in modern contexts; use with caution.

### 7. to dress up

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to dress yourself or someone else in very nice or fancy clothes.

For teachers: to dress oneself or another person in an elegant or showy manner; almost exclusively used as the phrasal verb 'dolly up'.

- She spent two hours getting dollied up for the wedding reception.
- The children were all dollied up in their Sunday best for the family portrait session.

Usage: Usually appears as the phrasal verb 'dolly up' or the passive 'get dollied up'.

### 8. attractive

adjective · CEFR C2 · Slang · Dialect

a slang word meaning pretty or attractive.

For teachers: an adjective meaning attractive or pleasant; specifically associated with Polari slang.

- That is a dolly new coat you are wearing.
- The performer described the stage decorations as quite dolly, using the specific slang of the underground theatre scene.

Teaching tip: This is a very niche term from Polari slang and is rarely heard in general modern English.

## Examples

- They used a dolly to move the piano upstairs.
- The crew pushed the camera dolly along the track to follow the actor.
- The smooth tracking shot was achieved using a motorized dolly that glided silently across the polished floor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.