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Sally vs Dally - What's the difference?

sally | dally |

As nouns the difference between sally and dally

is that sally is a willow while dally is several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.

As verbs the difference between sally and dally

is that sally is to make a sudden attack on an enemy from a defended position while dally is to waste time in voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to trifle.

As a proper noun Sally

is {{given name|female|diminutive=Sarah}}, also used as a formal given name.

sally

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) saly, from (etyl) . More at (l).

Noun

(sallies)
  • A willow
  • Any tree that looks like a willow
  • An object made from the above trees' wood
    • Derived terms
    * sally rod

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) saillie, from sailli, the past participle of the verb saillir 'to leap forth', itself from (etyl) salire 'to leap'

    Noun

    (sallies)
  • A sortie of troops from a besieged place against an enemy.
  • A sudden rushing forth.
  • (figuratively) A witty statement or quip, usually at the expense of one's interlocutor.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=April 26 , author=Tasha Robinson , title=Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits : , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=The stakes are low and the story beats are incidental amid the rush of largely mild visual gags and verbal sallies like “Blood Island! So called because it’s the exact shape of some blood!” }}
  • An excursion or side trip.
  • * John Locke
    • Everyone shall know a country better that makes often sallies into it, and traverses it up and down, than he that goes still round in the same track.
  • A tufted woollen part of a bellrope, used to provide grip when ringing a bell.
    • See also
    * sally port

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To make a sudden attack on an enemy from a defended position.
    • The troops sallied in desperation.
  • To set out on an excursion; venture; depart (often followed by "forth.")
    • As she sallied forth from her boudoir, you would never have guessed how quickly she could strip for action. -William Manchester
  • To venture off the beaten path.

    • Etymology 3

    From salvation in Salvation Army, from (etyl) salvatio

    Noun

    (sallies)
  • (New Zealand, slang) A member of the Salvation Army.
    • Synonyms
    * Salvo

    Anagrams

    * *

    dally

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl)

    Verb

  • To waste time in voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to trifle.
  • * Calamy
    • We have trifled too long already; it is madness to dally any longer.
  • * Barrow
    • We have put off God, and dallied with his grace.
  • To interchange caresses, especially of a sexual nature; to use fondling; to wanton; to sport (compare dalliance)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Not dallying with a brace of courtesans.
  • To delay unnecessarily; to while away.
  • To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is attached to the pommel of a western style saddle) after the roping of an animal
  • * 2003 , Jameson Parker, An Accidental Cowboy , page 89:
    • The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
    Synonyms
    * dilly-dally

    Etymology 2

    Possibly from (etyl) "da le la vuelta ! " ("twist it around !") by law of Hobson-Jobson.

    Noun

    (dallies)
  • Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in .
  • * 1947 - Bruce Kiskaddon, Rhymes and Ranches
    • What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally .