shilly-shally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He did not shilly-shally in welcoming the crowd.
From New York Times ● May 18, 2010
For George Norris on the stump does not shilly-shally about getting himself elected.
From Time Magazine Archive
Whenever the German army fell into a dangerous, disorganized or shilly-shally state, we always looked for the skillful hand of .
From Time Magazine Archive
He felt that there was to be no shilly-shally now.
From When the Cock Crows by Waldron Baily
"I have little experience of shilly-shally methods," replied his visitor.
From The Open Question a tale of two temperaments by Elizabeth Robins
As the young man shilly-shallies, the father enters into several schemes to entrap him into a declaration of love; but all his schemes are abortive.
From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook, Vol. 3 by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
The puck didn’t hover above the board, exactly, but shilly-shallied back and forth.
From The New Yorker ● Aug. 9, 2016
I've shilly-shallied around you for months, protesting my love, and I haven't gotten anywhere.
From The Valley of the Giants by Peter B. (Peter Bernard) Kyne
If he had shilly-shallied and hummed and hawed about the scandal, it would have been so much more unpleasant for her.
From The Loudwater Mystery by Edgar Jepson
We talked and shilly-shallied till Sir Charles grew angry.
From An African Millionaire Episodes in the Life of the Illustrious Colonel Clay by Grant Allen
That woman cost me a pot of money, Moorpark, ’pon my soul she did, for I never shilly-shallied.
From A Double Knot by George Manville Fenn
We’ve been shilly-shallying around on this since the Eisenhower administration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2021
At a time of endless half-truths and moral shilly-shallying, Morris's eccentric integrity shines out.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 27, 2010
The fact that he acted without shilly-shallying indicates . . . that he knows what it is all about .
From Time Magazine Archive
Its content was kept secret, but it was possible that the President made it clear that if Tito expected U.S. aid, there must be no more shilly-shallying.
From Time Magazine Archive
In addition to the qualities mentioned there was entire absence of the shilly-shallying practices many actors delight to indulge, in their efforts to secure applause or attract the admiration of susceptible females.
From The Truth About America by Edward Money
