dilatoriness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English dilatory Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English dilatoriness From dilatory + -ness.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) The state or quality of being dilatory.
In some narratives of the origin of death, two messengers are despatched, and the cause of death is said to have been the dilatoriness or misconduct of the messenger who bore the glad tidings of immortality.
1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 55:Nor when he got home was he much more inclined to any resolute line of action […] for he got no pen and paper, and he dawdled over his teacup with the utmost dilatoriness, putting off, as it were, the evil day.
1861, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dilatorinesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Translations (3)
pl opieszałość (the state or quality of being dilatory) · ga leadrán (the state or quality of being dilatory) · ga leadránacht (the state or quality of being dilatory)