dilly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, colloquial, dated
Quick answer
What does “dilly” mean?
(Informal) Something or someone remarkable or outstanding, often in a pleasing or excellent way.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
(Informal) Something or someone remarkable or outstanding, often in a pleasing or excellent way.
(Informal, dated, chiefly US) A silly or foolish person; also, (chiefly Australian) short for 'dilly bag', a small bag made of woven fibres.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The 'excellent thing/person' sense is more established in American English, though still dated. The 'silly/foolish person' sense was also historically American. The Australian 'bag' sense is not used in either variety.
Connotations
In both BrE and AmE, the 'excellent' sense has a slightly old-fashioned, quaint, or folksy feel.
Frequency
Extremely low in modern BrE. Very low and dated in modern AmE, occasionally heard in nostalgic or ironic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “dilly” in a Sentence
[That/It] is/was a real dilly (of a N).What a dilly!Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dilly” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- His new recipe is absolutely dilly!
- That's a dilly idea for a party.
American English
- Well, isn't this a dilly situation?
- She found a dilly little antique shop.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Never used.
Everyday
Only in very informal, often humorous or ironic speech among older generations or in deliberate archaism.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dilly”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Overusing it; it's a rare, special-use word.
- Confusing the positive 'excellent' sense with the negative 'foolish' sense.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered dated and is used very infrequently, mostly for humorous or nostalgic effect.
Its primary modern meaning is positive ('excellent'). However, an older, chiefly US meaning was 'a foolish person', which is negative but now archaic.
It is an Australian term for a small bag made of woven plant fibres, traditionally used by Aboriginal Australians. It is unrelated to the 'excellent thing' meaning.
No, they are etymologically distinct. 'Dilly-dally' comes from 'dally' (to linger). 'Dilly' (excellent) is likely a shortening of 'delightful' or 'delicious'.
(Informal) Something or someone remarkable or outstanding, often in a pleasing or excellent way.
Dilly is usually informal, colloquial, dated in register.
Dilly: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪl.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪl.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “dilly of a (something): a remarkable or extreme example of something (e.g., 'a dilly of a storm').”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a delightful, silly surprise – it's a DILLY! The word sounds playful and light.
Conceptual Metaphor
REMARKABLE THING/EXPERIENCE IS A PERSON/OBJECT OF NOTE (e.g., 'a dilly of a day').
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you historically have called someone a 'dilly'?