Shilly Shallying

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈʃɪli ˈʃæliɪŋ/

Definitions of shilly shallying

noun indecisive or irresolute behavior

Example Sentences

A1 She was tired of his shilly shallying and wanted a clear decision.

A2 The boss doesn't like shilly shallying when it comes to meeting deadlines.

B1 The team's success was hindered by the constant shilly shallying of its members.

B2 The negotiations were delayed due to the shilly shallying of both parties.

C1 The CEO's no-nonsense approach put an end to the shilly shallying within the company.

C2 The political leaders were criticized for their shilly shallying in making important decisions.

verb to show indecisive or irresolute behavior

Example Sentences

A1 She was shilly shallying about which movie to watch.

A2 He shilly shallied for hours before deciding on a restaurant for dinner.

B1 The team was shilly shallying over which project to prioritize.

B2 The manager warned the employees against shilly shallying when making important decisions.

C1 The politician's reputation suffered due to his constant shilly shallying on key issues.

C2 The CEO's decisive leadership style prevented any shilly shallying within the company.

Examples of shilly shallying in a Sentence

formal The committee criticized the manager for his shilly shallying on important decisions.

informal Stop shilly shallying and just make up your mind already!

slang Quit your shilly shallying and get to work!

figurative Her constant shilly shallying between two career paths is delaying her success.

Grammatical Forms of shilly shallying

past tense

shilly shallied

plural

shilly shallies

comparative

more shilly shallying

superlative

most shilly shallying

present tense

shilly shallies

future tense

will shilly shally

perfect tense

has shilly shallied

continuous tense

is shilly shallying

singular

shilly shallies

positive degree

shilly shally

infinitive

to shilly shally

gerund

shilly shallying

participle

shilly shallied

Origin and Evolution of shilly shallying

First Known Use: 1601 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The word 'shilly shallying' is believed to have originated as a reduplication of the word 'shilly' which means to hesitate or be indecisive.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'shilly shallying' has come to be used to describe indecisiveness or hesitation in a playful or slightly mocking manner.