Dally
[DAL-ee]
Part of speech: verb
Origin: Old French, 15th century
1.
Act or move slowly.
2.
Have a casual romantic liaison with.
Examples of Dally in a sentence
"I was enjoying the spring weather so much that I dallied on my way back to the office."
"He’s not looking for a serious relationship, but he has been known to dally with a new romance."
Popularity Over Time
About Dally
Here’s a handy little verb with two different definitions. You probably won’t dally if you’re going to dally with someone. If you’re dallying (having a casual romantic relationship), there’s not a long courtship, so you won’t dally (delay) going on a few dates.
Did you Know?
In Old French, “dailer” meant to chat. As the word progressed into English it adopted the definition of moving slowly — or to have a romantic entanglement. There is a connecting thread here. You might waste time by having a leisurely chat, and that conversation could lead to romance — all forms of dallying.
