dilly dally etymology

Etymology

The origin of the word "dilly dally" is unclear, but it is generally thought to have derived from one or more of the following sources:

• "Dally": A Middle English term meaning "to delay or trifle."
• "Dilly": A vernacular term for "a thing of little value."
• "Dilly-dally": A reduplicative formation (repetition of a word or part of a word) that emphasizes the sense of delay or insignificance.

Meaning

"Dilly dally" refers to the following:

• To waste time or engage in frivolous activities without making progress.
• To procrastinate or delay doing something that needs to be done.
• To be indecisive or hesitate in making a decision.

Origin

The first recorded use of "dilly dally" in print dates back to the 1500s. It appears in the play "Gammer Gurton's Needle" by William Stevenson:

"Now say me, Dol, how doost thou dilly, dilly?"

The term gained widespread use in the 18th century, and it remains in common use today.

dilly dally relate terms

• dally

  Etymology The word dally originates from the Middle English word dallen which means

• shilly shally

  Etymology and Origin The word shilly shally is a reduplication of shilly an archaic

• wishy washy

  Etymology Wishy washy is first attested in the 18th century as a variant of wishy wa

• dilly dally

  Etymology The origin of the word dilly dally is unclear but it is generally thought to

• procrastinate

  Etymology The word procrastinate comes from the Latin word procrastinare which mean

• stall

  Etymology Middle English stallen staulen staken Old English stæl stælan to ste

• diligence

  Etymology Diligence comes from the Latin word diligentia which is derived from the ve

• delay

  Etymology The word delay comes from the Old French word delaier meaning to put off

• drag

  Etymology The word drag originates from the Middle English term dragen which means

• drag

  Etymology The word drag originates from the Middle English term dragen which means

• alliteration

  Etymology The word alliteration is derived from the Latin word ad meaning to and

• Tuesday

  Etymology The word Tuesday comes from Old English Tiwesdæg which means Tiw s day