1. The deliberate act of delaying and playing instead of working
   "The children's dawdling made them late for school";
   - dalliance, trifling

1. Waste time
   "Get busy—don't dawdle!";
   - dally
    
2. Take one's time; proceed slowly
   "The children dawdled on their way to school";
   - linger
    
3. Hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.
   "The student dawdled and fell behind in her studies";
   - lag, fall back, fall behind

See also: fall, linger over

Type of: acquit, act, bear, behave, carry, comport, conduct, delay, deport, do, follow, holdup, move