Part 11

Dale (?), n. [AS. dæl; akin to LG., D., Sw., Dan., OS., & Goth. dal, Icel. dalr, OHG. tal, G. thal, and perh. to Gr. qo`los a rotunda, Skr. dhra depth. Cf. Dell.] 1. A low place between hills; a vale or valley.

Where mountaines rise, umbrageous dales descend.

Thomson.

2. A trough or spout to carry off water, as from a pump. Knight.

Dales"man (?), n.; pl. Dalesmen (&?;). One living in a dale; -- a term applied particularly to the inhabitants of the valleys in the north of England, Norway, etc. Macaulay.

Dalf (?), imp. of Delve. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Dal"li*ance (?), n. [From Dally.] 1. The act of dallying, trifling, or fondling; interchange of caresses; wanton play.

Look thou be true, do not give dalliance Too much the rein.

Shak.

O, the dalliance and the wit, The flattery and the strife!

Tennyson.

2. Delay or procrastination. Shak.

3. Entertaining discourse. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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Dal"li*er (?), n. One who fondles; a trifler; as, dalliers with pleasant words. Asham.

Dal"lop (dl"lp), n. [Etymol. unknown.] A tuft or clump. [Obs.] Tusser.

Dal"ly (-l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dallied (-ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Dallying.] [OE. dalien, dailien; cf. Icel. pylja to talk, G. dallen, dalen, dahlen, to trifle, talk nonsense, OSw. tule a droll or funny man; or AS. dol foolish, E. dull.] 1. To waste time in effeminate or voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to fool away time; to delay unnecessarily; to tarry; to trifle.

We have trifled too long already; it is madness to dally any longer.

Calamy.

We have put off God, and dallied with his grace.

Barrow.

2. To interchange caresses, especially with one of the opposite sex; to use fondling; to wanton; to sport.

Not dallying with a brace of courtesans.

Shak.

Our aerie . . . dallies with the wind.

Shak.

Dal"ly, v. t. To delay unnecessarily; to while away.

Dallying off the time with often skirmishes.