different between dally vs dawdle

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?dæli/
• Rhymes: -æli

Etymology 1

From Middle English dalyen, from Anglo-Norman delaier.

Verb

dally (third-person singular simple present dallies, present participle dallying, simple past and past participle dallied)

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

   Synonyms: dawdle, dilly-dally; see also Thesaurus:loiter
2. (transitive, intransitive) To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet

   Synonyms: feel up, grope, touch up; see also Thesaurus:fondle
3. To delay unnecessarily; to while away.

   Synonym: kill time

Translations

Etymology 2

Possibly from Spanish dale la vuelta (“twist it around”) by law of Hobson-Jobson, from dale + la + vuelta.

Noun

dally (plural dallies)

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

Verb

dally (third-person singular simple present dallies, present participle dallying, simple past and past participle dallied)

1. 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

Anagrams

• d'y'all, y'all'd

English

Etymology

First attested around 1656; variant of daddle (“to walk unsteadily”), perhaps influenced by daw, since the bird was regarded as sluggish and silly. Not in general use until around 1775. Compare also German daddeln (“to play”), German verdaddeln (“to waste (time), neglect, ruin”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d??d?l/
• Rhymes: -??d?l
• Homophone: doddle (in accents with the cot-caught merger)

Verb

dawdle (third-person singular simple present dawdles, present participle dawdling, simple past and past participle dawdled)

1. (intransitive) To spend time idly and unfruitfully; to waste time.
2. (transitive) To spend (time) without haste or purpose.

3. (intransitive) To move or walk lackadaisically.

Translations

See also

• dally, dander, dandle, diddle, loaf, piddle, wander, doodle

Noun

dawdle (plural dawdles)

1. A dawdler.
   • 1766, George Colman the Elder and David Garrick, The Clandestine Marriage, Act I, page 13

     Where is this dawdle of a housekeeper?

2. A slow walk, journey.
3. An easily accomplished task; a doddle.

Anagrams

• Dewald, Waddle, dwaled, waddle, walded