shillyshally

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Definition

  1. Verb:

    • To be indecisive or hesitant; to vacillate or waver when making a decision.
    • To waste time through indecision or hesitation.

  2. Noun:

    • Indecisive behavior or pointless hesitation; the act of being unable to make up one's mind.
Usage Examples

  • Verb:

    • Stop shillyshallying and choose a restaurant.
    • He shillyshallied for weeks before finally accepting the job offer.

  • Noun:

    • All this shillyshally is getting us nowhere.
    • Her constant shillyshally over the menu was frustrating.
Advanced Usage
  • The word is often used to express mild criticism or impatience with someone's lack of decisiveness.
  • It can function as a verb without an object (intransitively) to describe the state of being indecisive.
Variants and Related Words
  • Shillyshallying (noun/gerund): The action or an instance of hesitating indecisively.
    • His shillyshallying cost us the opportunity.
  • Shillyshallyer (noun, rare): A person who shillyshallies; a vacillator.
Synonyms
  • Verb: Dither, vacillate, waver, hesitate, procrastinate.
  • Noun: Indecision, hesitation, vacillation, dithering.
Related Idioms and Phrases
  • To be in a shillyshally: To be in a state of indecision.
    • The committee is still in a shillyshally about the final proposal.
Noun
  1. the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or defering an action to a later time
Verb
  1. postpone doing what one should be doing
    • He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days
  2. be uncertain and vague

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