'dilly-dally' originates from the reduplication of the word 'dally,' which comes from Old French 'daler,' meaning 'to delay.'

'dally' transformed from the Old French word 'daler' and eventually became the modern English word 'dally,' which was then reduplicated to form 'dilly-dally.'

Initially, it meant 'to delay or waste time,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.