Hypertext Webster Gateway: "shillyshally"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Shill-I-shall-I \Shill"-I-shall`-I\, Shilly-shally
\Shil"ly-shal`ly\, adv. [A reduplication of shall I.]
In an irresolute, undecided, or hesitating manner.
I am somewhat dainty in making a resolution, because
when I make it, I keep it; I don't stand
shill-I-shall-I then; if I say 't, I'll do 't.
--Congreve.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Shilly-shally \Shil"ly-shal`ly\, v. i.
To hesitate; to act in an irresolute manner; hence, to occupy
one's self with trifles.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Shilly-shally \Shil"ly-shal`ly\, n.
Irresolution; hesitation; also, occupation with trifles.
She lost not one of her forty-five minutes in picking
and choosing, -- no shilly-shally in Kate. --De
Quincey.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
shillyshally
n : the act of procrastinating [syn: {procrastination}, {cunctation}]
v 1: be uncertain and vague
2: postpone doing what one should be doing; "He did not want to
write the letter and procrastinated for days" [syn: {procrastinate},
{stall}, {drag one's feet}, {dilly-dally}, {dillydally}]
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