Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To procrastinate.
  • intransitive verb To be unable to come to a decision; vacillate.
  • intransitive verb To spend time on insignificant things; dawdle.
  • adjective Hesitant; vacillating.
  • noun Procrastination; hesitation.
  • adverb In a hesitant manner; irresolutely.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To act in an irresolute or undecided manner; hesitate.
  • noun Indecision; irresolution; foolish trifling.
  • In an irresolute or hesitating manner.

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

  • intransitive verb To hesitate; to act in an irresolute manner; hence, to occupy one's self with trifles.
  • noun Irresolution; hesitation; also, occupation with trifles.

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

  • verb To procrastinate.
  • verb To vacillate.
  • adjective indecisive; wavering

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or defering an action to a later time
  • verb postpone doing what one should be doing
  • verb be uncertain and vague

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Reduplication of the question shall I?]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From shall I. Shill-I-shall-I was an older form.

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Examples

  • Cameron and Hague both continue to shilly-shally on this topic which makes many suspect that they will seek to avoid the issue if they can, knowing that a vote then to reject the Treaty would open up the whole issue of our membership of the EU at a stroke.

    Archive 2008-03-02 2008

  • And while some polls show that Obama is still vulnerable on national security, especially as his administration seems to shilly-shally over how to try terrorists, public sentiment is lagging behind some very positive facts emerging on the ground.

    Has Obama Hit Bottom? 2010

  • Cameron and Hague both continue to shilly-shally on this topic which makes many suspect that they will seek to avoid the issue if they can, knowing that a vote then to reject the Treaty would open up the whole issue of our membership of the EU at a stroke.

    A Hostage to Fortune for 2011? 2008

  • Quinlan:   "I don't shilly-shally around on this issue."

    For Chronic Reduplicators, Things Aren't Hunky-Dory 2010

  • You can put on the tap shoes and shilly-shally all you want, but if the entire state of Florida had been recounted, and if those Broward County fogies hadn't voted for Pat Buchanan by mistake, and if all those African-American Floridians hadn't been unfairly disqualified from voting, Al Gore would have been sworn in as president in 2001.

    Jeffrey Wells: HBO's Recount Rave 2008

  • Scientists don't have the time or resources to shilly-shally with every new idea that comes down the pike.

    Michael Shermer: The Power of Positive Skepticism: A Reply to Deepak Chopra 2008

  • To shilly-shally about something, not do something, ruminate over it, finally decide to take the plunge--and by then it's too late.

    hitchhiker in the rain asakiyume 2006

  • Do! why I would have you give him his day, ahd keep to it; that I would have you do: and not shilly-shally for ever and subject the best of men to in sults.

    Sir Charles Grandison 2006

  • I would not be guilty of shilly-shally conduct; I would tell her frankly what I felt and what I thought, and would make her understand that I did not desire her hand if I could not have her heart.

    Tales of all countries 2004

  • Men liked to be talked to straight, and no shilly-shally.

    Robbery Under Arms 2004

Comments

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  • Gil Blas, said he, I never stand shilly-shally: begone, you are free; you may take yourself off whenever you please.

    - Lesage, The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane, tr. Smollett, bk 1 ch. 13

    September 12, 2008

  • this is a cool word

    October 22, 2015