How Do You Spell DALLY?

Pronunciation: [dˈali] (IPA)

"Dally" is a verb that means to waste time or to act in a playful manner. The spelling of this word follows the English orthography rules. It starts with the voiced dental stop /d/ followed by the short a vowel /æ/ and ends with the double consonant /ll/ and the unstressed vowel sound /i/. The IPA phonetic transcription of "dally" is /ˈdæli/. This word is a common synonym for "procrastinate" or "fritter away" and is often used in informal language.

DALLY Meaning and Definition

  1. Dally is a verb that has multiple meanings, characterized by the act of engaging in trivial or frivolous activities or behavior in a leisurely and non-serious manner. It commonly refers to wasting time, lingering, or delaying action without any real purpose or direction.

    One aspect of dallying is related to leisurely and aimless pursuit, such as engaging in idle conversation or gossip, engaging in unproductive activities, or simply passing the time without a clear objective. For instance, one might dally by lingering around a park, engaging in idle chit-chat, or indulging in a hobby without any serious commitment.

    Additionally, dally can also refer to the act of delaying or procrastinating, often indicating a lack of urgency or seriousness in completing a task or fulfilling a responsibility. For example, an individual may dally in finishing their work or fulfilling an obligation by intentionally prolonging the process without any sense of urgency or efficiency.

    In a romantic context, dallying can indicate the act of flirting or engaging in a brief and casual romantic involvement without any serious commitment or intention of long-term involvement. It may imply a superficial or nonchalant approach to relationships, characterized by temporary engagements or dalliances instead of genuine emotional investment.

    Overall, the term "dally" denotes engaging in frivolous or unproductive activities, aimlessly wasting time, delaying or procrastinating, or participating in brief and casual romantic involvements without serious commitment.

  2. To lose time by trifling; to fondle; to play with caressingly; to put off; to amuse for the purpose of delay.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for DALLY *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for DALLY

Etymology of DALLY

The word dally has roots in Old English and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Middle English term dallen, which meant to talk idly, to gossip.

The Old English word dal, which means division, part, or portion, is also related to the etymology of dally. This connection suggests that the word originally referred to dividing one's time or attention.

Over time, the meaning of dally evolved, and by the 16th century, it came to signify to waste time or to idle. In the 17th century, it gained its more contemporary meaning of to play or flirt casually.

Idioms with the word DALLY

  • dally over sth The idiom "dally over something" means to spend more time than necessary or to procrastinate when completing a task or engaging in an activity. It suggests a lack of focus or seriousness, often leading to inefficiency or wastage of time.
  • dally over (something) The idiom "dally over (something)" means to waste time by taking too long or delaying the completion of a task or activity. It implies a lack of urgency or a tendency to procrastinate.
  • dally with sm To "dally with someone" means to engage in a casual or flirtatious relationship with that person, usually without any serious commitment or intentions. It implies a temporary, enjoyable partnership that may involve romantic or physical interactions, but not necessarily leading to a more serious or long-term relationship.
  • dally with someone The idiom "dally with someone" means to engage in a casual or flirtatious relationship with someone without any serious commitment or intention. It implies a temporary or short-lived involvement characterized by an absence of seriousness or a lack of genuine interest.
  • dally with (one) The idiom "dally with (one)" means to engage in a romantic or flirtatious relationship with someone but without any serious commitment. It implies a casual or transient involvement without any intention of pursuing a long-term relationship.
  • dilly-dally (around) with (someone or something) To waste time by being slow or indecisive in dealing with someone or something.

Similar spelling words for DALLY

Plural form of DALLY is DALLIES

Conjugate verb Dally

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have dallied
you would have dallied
he/she/it would have dallied
we would have dallied
they would have dallied
I would have dally
you would have dally
he/she/it would have dally
we would have dally
they would have dally

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been dallying
you would have been dallying
he/she/it would have been dallying
we would have been dallying
they would have been dallying

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would dally
you would dally
he/she/it would dally
we would dally
they would dally

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be dallying
you would be dallying
he/she/it would be dallying
we would be dallying
they would be dallying

FUTURE

I will dally
you will dally
he/she/it will dally
we will dally
they will dally

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be dallying
you will be dallying
he/she/it will be dallying
we will be dallying
they will be dallying

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have dallied
you will have dallied
he/she/it will have dallied
we will have dallied
they will have dallied

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been dallying
you will have been dallying
he/she/it will have been dallying
we will have been dallying
they will have been dallying

IMPERATIVE

you dally
we let´s dally

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to dally

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was dallying
you were dallying
he/she/it was dallying
we were dallying
they were dallying

PAST PARTICIPLE

dallied

PAST PERFECT

I had dallied
you had dallied
he/she/it had dallied
we had dallied
they had dallied

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been dallying
you had been dallying
he/she/it had been dallying
we had been dallying
they had been dallying

PRESENT

I dally
you dally
he/she/it dallies
we dally
they dally

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am dallying
you are dallying
he/she/it is dallying
we are dallying
they are dallying

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

dallying

PRESENT PERFECT

I have dallied
you have dallied
he/she/it has dallied
we have dallied
they have dallied

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been dallying
you have been dallying
he/she/it has been dallying
we have been dallying
they have been dallying

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it dally

SIMPLE PAST

I dallied
you dallied
he/she/it dallied
we dallied
they dallied

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