shilly-shally
verb /ˈʃɪli ʃæli/
/ˈʃɪli ʃæli/
[intransitive] (informal, disapproving)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they shilly-shally | /ˈʃɪli ʃæli/ /ˈʃɪli ʃæli/ |
| he / she / it shilly-shallies | /ˈʃɪli ʃæliz/ /ˈʃɪli ʃæliz/ |
| past simple shilly-shallied | /ˈʃɪli ʃælid/ /ˈʃɪli ʃælid/ |
| past participle shilly-shallied | /ˈʃɪli ʃælid/ /ˈʃɪli ʃælid/ |
| -ing form shilly-shallying | /ˈʃɪli ʃæliɪŋ/ /ˈʃɪli ʃæliɪŋ/ |
- to take a long time to do something, especially to make a decision synonym dither
- Stop shilly-shallying and make up your mind.
More Like This Reduplicative wordsReduplicative words- airy-fairy
- argy-bargy
- chit-chat
- criss-cross
- dilly-dally
- harum-scarum
- helter-skelter
- higgledy-piggledy
- hocus-pocus
- hoity-toity
- hotchpotch
- hurly-burly
- itty-bitty
- mumbo jumbo
- mishmash
- nitty-gritty
- ping-pong
- pitter-patter
- shilly-shally
- teeny-weeny
- tittle-tattle
- touchy-feely
- wishy-washy
Word Originmid 18th cent.: originally as shill I, shall I, reduplication of shall I?