dallying

Verb (1)

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.
   • I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power / To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause, / Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published...

   Synonyms:

   dawdle, dilly-dally, arse about, arse around, bludge, bum around, cabbage, clown around, dick about, dick around

2. (ambitransitive) To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet
   • Not dallying with a Brace of Curtizans, / But meditating with two deepe Diuines:c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...

   Synonyms:

   feel up, grope, touch up, canoodle, caress, chuckle, coax, cosset, dandle, dawt

3. To delay unnecessarily; to while away.

   Synonyms:

   kill time

Verb (2)

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
   • The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.2003, Jameson Parker, An Accidental Cowboy, page 89

See all 7 meanings of dally