To lollygag means to waste time by moving slowly or lingering around without purpose. When you're supposed to be getting ready for school but instead you're staring out the window, playing with your shoelaces, and generally taking forever, you're lollygagging. When your family is trying to leave for a trip but someone keeps wandering back inside for “just one more thing,” they're lollygagging.

The word captures a specific kind of time-wasting: not rushing when you should be, dawdling when there's work to be done, or just moseying along when others are waiting. A teacher might tell students to stop lollygagging in the hallway and get to class. A coach might yell, “No lollygagging!” when players are jogging lazily during practice.

The word has a silly, playful sound that matches what it describes. There's something almost leisurely about lollygagging, a stubborn refusal to pick up the pace even when you know you should. While everyone lollygags sometimes, people who lollygag constantly can frustrate teammates, teachers, and anyone counting on them to keep up.