Dawdle
/ˈdɔːd.əl/noun
To waste time or move slowly and idly.
Did you know?“Dawdle” is first recorded in the 16th century and may be a frequentative formation, meaning the word itself was built to sound like repeated, aimless motion.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
dawdle
“to waste time, loiter, or move slowly”
Middle English
English
dawdelen
“to idle or loiter about”
Early Modern English
English
dawdle
“to waste time or linger”
Modern English
English
dawdle
“to move or act slowly and without urgency”