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dilatory

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
dil·a·to·ry  (dl-tôr, -tr)
adj.
1. Intended to delay.
2. Tending to postpone or delay: dilatory in his work habits. See Synonyms at slow.

[Middle English dilatorie, from Latin dltrius, from dltor, delayer, from dltus, past participle of differre, to delay : d-, dis-, apart; see dis- + ltus, carried; see tel- in Indo-European roots.]

dila·tori·ly adv.
dila·tori·ness n.

dilatory [ˈdɪlətərɪ -trɪ]
adj
1. tending or inclined to delay or waste time
2. intended or designed to waste time or defer action
[from Late Latin dīlātōrius inclined to delay, from differre to postpone; see differ]
dilatorily  adv
dilatoriness  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.dilatory - wasting time
slow - not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time; "a slow walker"; "the slow lane of traffic"; "her steps were slow"; "he was slow in reacting to the news"; "slow but steady growth"

dilatory
adjective slow, delaying, lingering, putting off, slack, backward, sluggish, dallying, loitering, time-wasting, laggard, tardy, procrastinating, tarrying, snail-like, behindhand They performed their work in a dilatory fashion.
sharp (informal), prompt, on-the-ball (informal), punctual
Translations
dilatory [ˈdɪlətərɪ] ADJ (frm) [person] → lento, tardo; [tactics] → dilatorio
to be dilatory in replyingtardar mucho en contestar
dilatory [ˈdɪlətəri] adjdilatoire
dilatory
adj
personlangsam; replyverspätet; to be dilatorysich (dat)Zeit lassen; he was rather dilatory in answeringer ließ sich mit der Antwort Zeit
(= delaying) dilatory policyHinhaltepolitik f; dilatory tacticsHinhalte- or Verzögerungstaktik f
dilatory [ˈdɪlətrɪ] adj (frm) (person) → lento/a; (action, policy) → dilatorio/a
dilatory [ˈdɪlətrɪ] adj (frm) (person) → lento/a; (action, policy) → dilatorio/a


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
The dilatory process of convening the legislature, or one of its branches, for the purpose of obtaining its sanction to the measure, would frequently be the occasion of letting slip the golden opportunity.
Ernestine Wendermott travelled back to London in much discomfort, being the eleventh occupant of a third-class carriage in a particularly unpunctual and dilatory train.
His family knew him to be, on all common occasions, a most negligent and dilatory correspondent; but at such a time they had hoped for exertion.
 
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