verb (colloquial).—To loiter; hesitate; trifle. [A duplication of DALLY.]
1740. RICHARDSON, Pamela, i., 275. What you do, sir, do; don’t stand DILLY-DALLYING.
1750. FIELDING, Tom Jones, bk. XVIII., ch. xii. But if I had suffered her to stand shill I shall I, DILLY DALLY, you might not have had that honour yet awhile.
1869. W. S. GILBERT, The Bohemian Girl. When at a pinch you should never DILLY-DALLY.
