Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a dilatory manner; with delay; tardily.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb With delay; tardily.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a dilatory manner.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

dilatory +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • In 1781 Johnson at last completed his Lives of the Poets, of which he gives this account: ‘Some time in March I finished the Lives of the Poets, which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily and hastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste.’

    The Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. 2004

  • The Sofia government treated these advances dilatorily, and was already leaning to the Central Powers, which were prepared to promise whatever Bulgaria wanted, in view of the fact that Bulgarian aspirations were directed chiefly to Serbian and Greek territory.

    1914, Nov. 9 2001

  • To them Tatius and the Sabines seemed to proceed somewhat dilatorily.

    The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 Titus Livius

  • Mr. Belmore presented the radiantly clean and peaceful aspect of the man who has risen at nine o'clock instead of the customary seven, and bathed and dressed in the sweet unhurried calm that belongs only to the first day of the week, poking dilatorily among chiffonier drawers, discovering hitherto forgotten garments in his closet, and leisurely fumbling over a change of shirt-studs before coming down to consume the breakfast kept waiting for him.

    The Happiest Time 1902

  • In 1781 Johnson at last completed his Lives of the Poets, of which he gives this account: 'Some time in March I finished the Lives of the Poets, which I wrote in my usual way, dilatorily and hastily, unwilling to work, and working with vigour and haste [122].'

    Life Of Johnson Boswell, James, 1740-1795 1887

  • But, at length, it soared dilatorily up to Miss Adrian's ear.

    The Trimmed Lamp, and other Stories of the Four Million O. Henry 1886

  • He was dilatorily throwing up a piece of wood into the fire every now and then,

    The Return of the Native 1878

  • My old friend was spied first by his sweetheart Lucy, winding dilatorily over the hill away from Sarkeld, in one of the carriages sent to meet him.

    The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Complete George Meredith 1868

  • My old friend was spied first by his sweetheart Lucy, winding dilatorily over the hill away from Sarkeld, in one of the carriages sent to meet him.

    Complete Project Gutenberg Works of George Meredith George Meredith 1868

  • My old friend was spied first by his sweetheart Lucy, winding dilatorily over the hill away from Sarkeld, in one of the carriages sent to meet him.

    The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Volume 8 George Meredith 1868

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