DAWDLE Meaning and
Definition
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Dawdle is a verb used to describe the act of wasting time, idling, or moving slowly or aimlessly without purpose or urgency. When someone dawdles, they tend to linger, delay, or procrastinate instead of taking prompt or efficient action. This term is often associated with a lack of urgency or motivation, indicating a tendency to drag one's feet or hesitate when there is a task or obligation at hand.
To dawdle is to engage in activities that obstruct progress or efficiency, such as lingering at a leisurely pace, daydreaming, or engaging in distractions rather than focusing on important matters or completing tasks promptly. It can also refer to moving slowly or taking too much time without any valid reason, causing delays or hindrances in accomplishing something.
Dawdling is commonly seen in children when they lack motivation, interest, or discipline to complete assigned tasks or comply with instructions. However, it is not limited to children, as individuals of any age can dawdle due to a variety of reasons, such as disinterest, fatigue, indecisiveness, or simply a preference for a relaxed pace.
In summary, to dawdle refers to wasting time, moving slowly, or delaying action without an adequate reason. It implies a lack of urgency, motivation, or efficiency and is often associated with procrastination and idleness.
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To do a thing in a purposeless manner like a child, and slowly; to trifle and waste time.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for DAWDLE *
* 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 DAWDLE
Etymology of DAWDLE
The word "dawdle" originated in the 1650s and it is believed to have derived from a Scottish dialectal verb "daw" meaning "to idle, waste time". This verb can be traced back to Middle English "dawen" which meant "to dawn, become day", suggesting a sense of slow, gradual movement. Over time, "daw" evolved specifically to mean "to waste time, be slow or sluggish", and eventually "dawdle" emerged as a noun form of the verb in the 18th century, having the connotation of idleness or procrastination.
Idioms with the word DAWDLE
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dawdle along
The idiom "dawdle along" means to proceed or move slowly and aimlessly, without urgency or purpose. It refers to the act of wasting time or lingering without making progress towards a specific goal.
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dawdle away
The idiom "dawdle away" means to waste or spend time in a leisurely or lazy manner, usually by engaging in unproductive or unnecessary activities. It implies a lack of focus or urgency in utilizing time effectively.
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dawdle over sth
The idiom "dawdle over something" refers to the act of spending an excessive amount of time on a task or activity, often by procrastinating or taking an unnecessarily slow pace. It implies a lack of urgency or efficiency in completing the task at hand.
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dawdle about
The idiom "dawdle about" means to waste time or move slowly and aimlessly, typically with no particular purpose or goal in mind. It refers to engaging in idle or unproductive activities, delaying or procrastinating on tasks, or simply loitering with no specific intention.
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dawdle sth away
To "dawdle something away" means to waste or spend time, often leisurely or unproductively, without achieving anything significant or necessary. It implies a lack of urgency or purposefulness.
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dawdle over
The idiom "dawdle over" means to spend excessive or unnecessary time on something, often indicating a lack of focus or efficiency. It implies lingering or procrastinating without any sense of urgency or purpose.
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dawdle over something
The idiom "dawdle over something" means to unnecessarily take a long time or linger excessively while doing or completing a task. It refers to a tendency to be slow, procrastinate, or waste time on activities that are not productive in order to deliberately delay or avoid the completion of something.
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dawdle something away
The idiom "dawdle something away" means to waste or spend time in a slow, inefficient, or aimless manner, often resulting in not achieving a desired outcome or delaying progress.
Similar spelling words for DAWDLE
Conjugate verb Dawdle
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have dawdled
you
would have dawdled
he/she/it
would have dawdled
we
would have dawdled
they
would have dawdled
I
would have dawdle
you
would have dawdle
he/she/it
would have dawdle
we
would have dawdle
they
would have dawdle
CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
I
would have been dawdling
you
would have been dawdling
he/she/it
would have been dawdling
we
would have been dawdling
they
would have been dawdling
CONDITIONAL PRESENT
I
would dawdle
you
would dawdle
he/she/it
would dawdle
we
would dawdle
they
would dawdle
CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
I
would be dawdling
you
would be dawdling
he/she/it
would be dawdling
we
would be dawdling
they
would be dawdling
FUTURE
I
will dawdle
you
will dawdle
he/she/it
will dawdle
we
will dawdle
they
will dawdle
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be dawdling
you
will be dawdling
he/she/it
will be dawdling
we
will be dawdling
they
will be dawdling
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have dawdled
you
will have dawdled
he/she/it
will have dawdled
we
will have dawdled
they
will have dawdled
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been dawdling
you
will have been dawdling
he/she/it
will have been dawdling
we
will have been dawdling
they
will have been dawdling
IMPERATIVE
you
dawdle
we
let´s dawdle
to dawdle
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was dawdling
you
were dawdling
he/she/it
was dawdling
we
were dawdling
they
were dawdling
PAST PARTICIPLE
dawdled
PAST PERFECT
I
had dawdled
you
had dawdled
he/she/it
had dawdled
we
had dawdled
they
had dawdled
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been dawdling
you
had been dawdling
he/she/it
had been dawdling
we
had been dawdling
they
had been dawdling
PRESENT
I
dawdle
you
dawdle
he/she/it
dawdles
we
dawdle
they
dawdle
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am dawdling
you
are dawdling
he/she/it
is dawdling
we
are dawdling
they
are dawdling
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
dawdling
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have dawdled
you
have dawdled
he/she/it
has dawdled
we
have dawdled
they
have dawdled
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been dawdling
you
have been dawdling
he/she/it
has been dawdling
we
have been dawdling
they
have been dawdling
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
he/she/it
dawdle
SIMPLE PAST
I
dawdled
you
dawdled
he/she/it
dawdled
we
dawdled
they
dawdled
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