dally C2+ Topic:Time US /ˈdæli/ UK /ˈdæli/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to waste time idly or flirt casually Don't dally; the train leaves in ten minutes. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to waste time idly or flirt... dawdleloiterlingerflirttrifleprocrastinate ↔ Opposites hurryhastenrush Word family Derived forms dalliancedallier Etymology AI details From Middle English dalien ('to talk idly, flirt'), probably from Anglo-Norman dalier ('to amuse oneself'), of uncertain origin. dalier Old French View etymology graph -> Topics Time Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # dally **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈdæli/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈdæli/ ## Meanings 1. to waste time idly or flirt casually ## Examples - Don't dally; the train leaves in ten minutes. ## Synonyms - dawdle - loiter - linger - flirt - trifle - procrastinate ## Antonyms - hurry - hasten - rush ## Derived Forms - dalliance - dallier ## Roots and Affixes - Root: dalier ## Etymology From Middle English dalien ('to talk idly, flirt'), probably from Anglo-Norman dalier ('to amuse oneself'), of uncertain origin. ## AI Etymology Dally is from Middle English dalien ('to talk idly, flirt'), probably from Anglo-Norman dalier ('to amuse oneself'), of uncertain origin. The immediate etymological form is Old French dalier. In present use as a verb, it means "to waste time idly or flirt casually", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Because the origin is uncertain, the safest account is descriptive: the attested senses can be explained, but the ultimate formation remains unresolved. Derived forms include dalliance and dallier. ## Topics - Time - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown