Terms Describing Wasteful Use of Time

Grok Notes

Dally  To act or move slowly; to waste time.  Often implies a playful or flirtatious wasting of time.

Dawdle  To take more time than necessary; to linger aimlessly.  Typically associated with being slow in movement or progress, especially in a way that shows a lack of urgency or purpose.

Dillydally  To waste time by being indecisive or by engaging in trivial activities; essentially a more emphatic version of dally.

Lollygag  Similar to dawdle or dally but often with a connotation of being leisurely or lounging around, sometimes with an implication of laziness or unproductiveness.

Tarry  To delay in action or departure; to linger or wait.  This term can sometimes imply a more deliberate or intentional delay, often for a reason.

Key Differences

Intent:  Tarry might suggest a delay with some purpose, whereas dally, dawdle, and lollygag often imply a more aimless or unnecessary delay.  Dillydally particularly emphasizes indecision.

Tone:  Dally and lollygag can have a playful or light-hearted tone, especially dally when it involves flirtation.  Dawdle tends to be more neutral or mildly disapproving, focusing on the act of slow movement.  Dillydally can sound more impatient or frustrated.  Tarry might not carry the same playful or lazy connotation, suggesting perhaps a more justified delay.

Formality:  Tarry might sound slightly more formal or old-fashioned compared to the others, which are more colloquial.

(Grok)

With the exception of tarry, all of these terms are derogatory.  Tarry can be as well, but as Grok summarizes above, sometimes it is a legitimate delay.

Definitions:  dally, dawdle, dillydally, lollygag, tarry

𓐵

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X-Y  Z
𓐵