Definition of "dally"

dally¹

/ˈdæli/

verb
third-person singular simple present dallies, present participle dallying, simple past and past participle dallied
1. To waste time in trivial activities, or in idleness; to trifle.
  Quotations
  I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power / To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause, / Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.
  c. 1589–1590, Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Ievv of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, Act I
  […] after we by our presumptuous delays have put off God, and dallied with his grace; […]
  a. 1692, Isaac Barrow, The Danger and Mischief of Delaying Repentance
  […] we have trifled too long already about a matter of such infinite moment, it is perfect Madness to dally any longer. […]
  a. 1726, Benjamin Calamy, “A Sermon Preach'd on Ash-Wednesday”, in J. Calamy, editor, Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions
2. (transitive, intransitive) To caress, especially of a sexual nature; to fondle or pet
  Quotations
  Not dallying with a Brace of Curtizans,
  c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene iv], page 191, column 2
3. To delay unnecessarily; to while away.

dally²

/ˈdæli/

noun
plural dallies
1. Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.
  Quotations
  What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally.
  1947, Bruce Kiskaddon, Rhymes and Ranches
verb
third-person singular simple present dallies, present participle dallying, simple past and past participle dallied
1. 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
  Quotations
  The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
  2003, Jameson Parker, An Accidental Cowboy, page 89

dally³

/ˈdæli/

noun
plural dallies
1. (India) Alternative form of dolly (“offering of fruit or flowers”)
  Quotations
  We have known Mazagon and long-pod Beans to be thrown out of a dally, because they were full of seed!
  1872, J. Frederick Pogson, Indian Gardening, page 19