Dawdle
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈdɔːdl̩/ · Part of speech verb
Quick meaning: Dawdle is a verb meaning (transitive) Chiefly followed by away: to spend (time) without haste or purpose.
Meaning
(transitive) Chiefly followed by away: to spend (time) without haste or purpose.
More Meanings
- To spend time idly and unfruitfully; to waste time.
- To move or walk lackadaisically.
- An act of spending time idly and unfruitfully; a dawdling.
- An act of moving or walking lackadaisically, a dawdling; a leisurely or slow walk or other journey.
- Synonym of dawdler (“a person who dawdles or idles”).
- Alternative spelling of doddle (“a job, task, or other activity that is easy to complete or simple”).
Example Sentences
to dawdle away the whole morning
However all [Wayne] Hennessey's good work went to waste on 52 minutes when he dawdled on the ball.
Tell him, if he'll call on me, and davvdle over a diſh of tea in an afternoon, I ſhall take it kind.
You all know when you learn with a will, and when you dawdle. There's no doubt of conscience about that, I suppose?
Word Forms
- dawdles
- dawdling
- dawdled
- dawdlest
- dawdledst
- dawdleth
Synonyms for dawdle
Depending on context, synonyms include dally, dilly-dally, bludge, cabbage, diddle, dretch.
Antonyms for dawdle
Common opposites include rush, race, hie, speed, hotfoot, hasten.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include lag, linger, fall back, dilly-dally, loll, idle.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.