dawdle over

dawdle over

To waste time rather than work diligently on something. If you keep dawdling over this book report, you'll be up all night!
See also: dawdle, over
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

dawdle over something

to waste time when one should be doing a particular task; to loaf while doing something. Don't dawdle over your hamburger. The lunch period ends in two minutes. Don't dawdle over it. Get it done.
See also: dawdle, over
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • dally over
  • dally over (something)
  • dally
  • dawdle about
  • dawdle
  • dawdle along
  • hard at
  • hard at (something)
  • hard at it
  • gain time
References in classic literature
The next day, however, she began to dawdle over her work, and the third day she was more idle still; then she began to lie in bed in the mornings and refused to get up.
Fairy Tales