dally

Meanings

Verb

  • To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle.
  • To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet
  • To delay unnecessarily; to while away.
  • To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is attached to the pommel of a western style saddle) after the roping of an animal

Noun

  • Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.

Origin

  • From Middle English dalyen, from Anglo-Norman delaier.
  • Possibly from Spanish dale la vuelta ("twist it around") by law of Hobson-Jobson, from dale + la + vuelta.

Modern English dictionary

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