| 释义 |
▪ I. dilly-dally, v.|ˈdɪlɪˈdælɪ|
[A varied reduplication of dally v., with the same alternation as in zig-zag, shilly-shally, etc., expressing see-saw action.]
intr. To act with trifling vacillation or indecision; to go on dallying with a thing without advancing; to loiter in vacillation, to trifle.
(Prob. in colloquial use as early as 1600: cf. the n.)
1741Richardson Pamela (1824) I. 100 What you do, sir, do; don't stand dilly-dallying. 1801M. Edgeworth Belinda (1832) I. xvii. 320, I..knew she'd dilly dally with Clary till he would turn upon his heel and leave her. 1877Spurgeon Serm. XXIII. 598 Every man..who dilly-dallies with salvation and runs risks with his soul. 1883Stevenson Treasure Isl. iv. xvi, There is no time to dilly-dally in our work.
Hence ˈdilly-ˈdallying vbl. n. and ppl. a.; ˈdilly-ˈdallier.
1879L. B. Walford Cousins III. 214 Mind you I'll have no dilly-dallying this time. 1880Webb Goethe's Faust Prel. for Theatre 14 Don't say you're not in time to show it! The dillydallier ne'er will be. 1881Durham Univ. Jrnl. 17 Dec. 133 Half-hearted, dilly-dallying work.
▪ II. ˈdilly-ˈdally, n., a., adv.
[f. the vb.]
†A. n. Dilly-dallying, trifling hesitancy. Also the name of a game. Obs.
a1610Babington Comf. Notes, Gen. xxiv. 57 Such dilly dally is fitter for heathens that know not God, than for sober Christians. 1698E. Ward Trip Jamaica Wks. 1717 II. 156 The chief sports we had on board, to pass the tedious hours, were Hob, Spie the Market, Shove the Slipper, Dilly-Dally.
B. adj. (dial.).
C. adv. (nonce-use.)
1749Fielding Tom Jones xviii. xii, If I had suffered her to stand shill I shall I, dilly dally, you might not have had that honour yet awhile. 1888Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. 194 Dilly-dally, undecided; shilly-shally. 1893Q. [Couch] Delectable Duchy 240 Of all the dilly-dallyin' men I must say, John, you'm the dilly-dalliest. |
