dawdling

UK: /ˈdɔːdlɪŋ/

From the verb dawdle: (⇒ conjugate)

dawdling is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

daw•dle /ˈdɔdəl/   v., -dled, -dling. 

1. to move or act too slowly;
   idle;
   loiter: [no obj]:
   Quit dawdling and get to work.
   [ ~ + away + obj]:
   dawdled away the morning.
   [~ + object + away]
   to dawdle the time away.

daw•dler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

daw•dle  (dôd′l), v., -dled, -dling. 
v.i. 

1. to waste time;
   idle;
   trifle;
   loiter:
   Stop dawdling and help me with these packages!
2. to move slowly, languidly, or dilatorily;
   saunter.

v.t. 

3. to waste (time) by or as if by trifling (usually fol. by away):
   He dawdled away the whole morning.

• variant of daddle to toddle 1650–60

daw′dler, n. 
daw′dling•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. See loiter.
• 3.  fritter, putter, idle, trifle.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dawdle / ˈdɔːd^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to be slow or lag behind
2. when tr, often followed by away: to waste (time); trifle

Etymology: 17th Century: of uncertain origin

ˈdawdler noun