Shilly Shally
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To hesitate, act in an undecided, irresolute way; a corruption of "Will I, shall I," or "Shall I, shall I?
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Shilly Shally” mean?
To hesitate, act in an undecided, irresolute way; a corruption of "Will I, shall I," or "Shall I, shall I?
Is “Shilly Shally” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.