verb

dawdle

DAWDL

verb

To move slowly or take much longer than necessary, often because of a lack of urgency.

"Stop dawdling and get your shoes on, we're late!"

"He dawdled on the walk home, stopping to look in every shop window."

How to Use Dawdle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo take your time in a way that wastes time or annoys other people who are waiting.

Common pairings

stop dawdling dawdle along dawdle over breakfast

Word Forms

dawdled past tense, dawdle plural, dawdled plural, dawdles plural, dawdles singular, dawdle singular, dawdled singular, dawdlest singular, dawdledst singular, dawdleth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He _____ on the walk home, stopping to look in every shop window.

Etymology

Likely related to old English dialect words like "daddle" or "doddle," meaning to walk slowly or aimlessly — probably imitative in origin.