'To dilly-dally' is to waste time, especially by being slow, or by not being able to come to a decision. These two conversations. In the first one, Penny and her flat-mate Rose are getting ready to go to a spa for a weekend break. In the second one, Mr Chong, the managing director of a hotel, is speaking to his senior staff.
Conversation one
Penny: Rose? Are you almost ready? The taxi will be here in ten minutes.
Rose: Just doing a bit of last-minute packing. I think I'll take a bigger suitcase. I don't want to get to the spa and find I haven't brought something I need.
Penny: A carry-on case will do! That's all I'm taking. We are only going for a long weekend and most of that time will be spent in the spa or pool or massage rooms.
Rose: I can't decide which dress to take for evenings. I'll take a couple just in case.
Penny: Dress? Dress? We’ll be spending the evenings in the spa. Come on. Stop dilly-dallying and get organised.
Rose: But meal times? We will need something nice to wear at dinner. Something casual.
Penny: What do you like? We've discussed what to take. And you've seen the photos in the brochure. People wear their bath robes in the dining room. Come on! Let’s go.
Rose: I think I'll take my green linen dress.
Penny: Are you listening to me? If the taxi arrives and you are still dilly-dallying, I will go without you. I mean it.
Rose: I'm going to take my pale blue cotton dress. How many pairs of shorts have you packed?
Conversation two
Mr Chong: It's very rare that I call all the heads of different departments together for a meeting, so you will have probably realised that I have something important to discuss with you. You are aware that two new hotels have opened in the area in the last six months, and this has had an adverse effect on our business. Since August, there have been only four nights when the 'Westfield' has been fully booked, and this concerns me greatly. Even during the month of September when there were four trade fairs at the Convention Centre, we didn't manage to sell all our rooms. I know you are all aware of our fall in business and each of you has mentioned ideas how we can reverse this. It is now time that all of us stop dilly-dallying and put together a plan to get back guests who have deserted us. I am open to all ideas and suggestions. Who is going to start? Jenny, you put forward an interesting suggestion last week when we were discussing the room cleaning budget. Would you like to outline for us all what you said?