verb to waste time or move slowly
Children may dawdle when it's time to go to bed, delaying the inevitable lights out.
Students who dawdle on their assignments risk falling behind in class.
Tourists often dawdle around the city, taking their time to explore each attraction.
On weekends, people like to dawdle in the park, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.
Employees are encouraged not to dawdle on tasks and to stay focused on their work.
In a writing context, 'dawdle' may be used to describe a character who is procrastinating or taking their time unnecessarily in a story.
A psychologist may use the term 'dawdle' when discussing a client's tendency to delay or avoid important tasks or decisions.
A project manager may use 'dawdle' to refer to team members who are not working efficiently or taking longer than necessary to complete tasks.
A teacher may use 'dawdle' to encourage students to stop wasting time and focus on their work or assignments.