'Dilatory' definitions:
Definition of 'Dilatory'
From: GCIDE
- Dilatory \Dil"a*to*ry\, a. [L. dilatorius, fr. dilator a delayer, fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differe to defer, delay: cf. F. dilatoire. See Dilate, Differ, Defer.]
- 1. Inclined to defer or put off what ought to be done at once; given the procrastination; delaying; procrastinating; loitering; as, a dilatory servant. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Marked by procrastination or delay; tardy; slow; sluggish; -- said of actions or measures. [1913 Webster]
- Alva, as usual, brought his dilatory policy to bear upon his adversary. --Motley. [1913 Webster]
- Dilatory plea (Law), a plea designed to create delay in the trial of a cause, generally founded upon some matter not connected with the merits of the case.
- Syn: Slow; delaying; sluggish; inactive; loitering; behindhand; backward; procrastinating. See Slow. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'dilatory'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- apathetic,
- backward,
- balking,
- balky,
- bone-lazy,
- cadging,
- dallying,
- dawdling,
- delaying,
- deliberate,
- dillydallying,
- do-nothing,
- doless,
- dragging,
- dronish,
- drony,
- easy,
- easygoing,
- ergophobic,
- faineant,
- foot-dragging,
- good-for-nothing,
- grudging,
- indifferent,
- indolent,
- lackadaisical,
- laggard,
- lagging,
- lax,
- lazy,
- leisurely,
- lingering,
- loath,
- loitering,
- lollygagging,
- Micawberish,
- neglectful,
- negligent,
- nonaggressive,
- parasitic,
- perfunctory,
- procrastinating,
- procrastinative,
- procrastinatory,
- reluctant,
- remiss,
- renitent,
- restive,
- scrounging,
- shiftless,
- shilly-shallying,
- shuffling,
- slack,
- slothful,
- slow,
- slow to,
- sluggish,
- sponging,
- tarrying,
- unenterprising,
- unenthusiastic,
- unhasty,
- unhurried,
- unzealous,
- work-shy