dally

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness

   To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle.

   • I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power / To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause, / Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.
   • […] after we by our presumptuous delays have put off God, and dallied with his grace; […]
   • […] we have trifled too long already about a matter of such infinite moment, it is perfect Madness to dally any longer. […]
2. 2

   To caress, especially of a sexual nature

   To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet

   • Not dallying with a Brace of Curtizans,
   • 2024, The November Nethack Tournament achievements Dally with a foocubus
3. 3

   To delay unnecessarily

   To delay unnecessarily; to while away.

4. ›+ 5 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.

      • What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally.
   2. 5

      To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is…

      To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is attached to the pommel of a western style saddle) after the roping of an animal

      • The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
   3. 6

      Alternative form of dolly (“offering of fruit or flowers”).

      • We have known Mazagon and long-pod Beans to be thrown out of a dally, because they were full of seed!
   4. 7

      A surname.

   5. 8

      A New Zealand person of Croatian or other Balkan descent.

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