Where does “dilly-dally” come from?
dilly-dally (English) comes from English dally, from Middle English dalien, from Anglo-Norman delaier, from Frankish latjan, from Proto-Germanic latjaną, from Proto-Germanic lataz, from Proto-Indo-European lē(y)d-.
dilly-dally (English): To dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate
Definitions
- To dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate
Ancestry of “dilly-dally”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dally | To waste time in trivial activities, or in... |
| 2 | Middle English | dalien | To talk, converse, or say (something) |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | delaier | to hesitate; to wait |
| 4 | Frankish | latjan | to hinder, delay |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | latjaną | to make slow, delay, hinder |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lataz | slow, sluggish; lazy; late |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lē(y)d- | — |