Dawdle: meaning, definitions and examples
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dawdle
[ ˈdɔːdl ]
slowly waste time
To dawdle means to move slowly and idly, taking more time than necessary to do something. It often involves procrastinating or delaying tasks. Dawdling is often seen as a negative behavior, as it can lead to inefficiency and wasted time.
Synonyms
delay, linger, loiter, procrastinate
Examples of usage
- He dawdled over his homework instead of finishing it quickly.
- She always dawdles when getting ready in the morning, making us late for work.
- Don't dawdle, we need to leave in 5 minutes!
- I dawdled away the afternoon, not accomplishing anything productive.
- The children dawdled on their way home from school, enjoying the sunny weather.
Translations
Translations of the word "dawdle" in other languages:
🇵🇹 vadiar
🇮🇳 टालमटोल करना
🇩🇪 trödeln
🇮🇩 bermalas-malasan
🇺🇦 байдикувати
🇵🇱 ociągać się
🇯🇵 ぐずぐずする
🇫🇷 traîner
🇪🇸 holgazanear
🇹🇷 oyalanmak
🇰🇷 빈둥거리다
🇸🇦 تسكع
🇨🇿 loudat se
🇸🇰 flákať sa
🇨🇳 磨蹭
🇸🇮 lenariti
🇮🇸 slóra
🇰🇿 босқа сандалу
🇬🇪 ზანტი
🇦🇿 tənbəllik etmək
🇲🇽 holgazanear
Etymology
The origin of the word 'dawdle' can be traced back to the early 19th century, where it was used to describe someone who wasted time in a leisurely manner. It is believed to have originated from the dialectal word 'doddle', which meant to walk unsteadily or slowly. Over time, 'dawdle' evolved to encompass the idea of moving slowly or procrastinating, as we commonly understand it today.