▪ I. dilatory, a.1 and n.
(ˈdɪlətərɪ)
Forms: 6–7 dilatorie, 7– dilatory, (8 erron. dilitary). Also 6–7 delatorie, (6 delaterye, deletary), 7 delatory.
[ad. L. dīlātōri-us, f. dīlātōr-em a delayer, agent-n. from differre, dīlāt- to defer, delay: see dilate v.1 Cf. F. dilatoire (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.).]
A. adj.
1. Tending to cause delay; made for the purpose of gaining time or deferring decision or action.
| 1581 Lambarde Eiren. iv. xxi. (1588) 622 It was very Dilatorie for the Justices of Peace, to take those Wages, at the handes of the Shirife. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 9 a, For his delaterye excuse. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, ii. iv. 237, I abhorre This dilatory sloth and trickes of Rome. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. viii. ii. §46 Dilatory letters excusing themselves from coming thither. 1671 Shadwell Humourists v. Wks. 1720 I. 202, I will..make no hesitation or dilatory scruple. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 178 ¶4 By long deliberation and dilatory projects they may both be lost. 1860 Motley Netherl. (1868) I. iii. 80 The policy of England continued to be expectant and dilatory. |
b. Law. dilatory plea, a plea put in for the sake of delay. dilatory exception: see exception n. 4 a. dilatory defence (in Sc. Law): see quot.
| [1292 Britton ii. xvii. §1 Par excepciouns dilatories.] 1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 14 §5 None essoin..or other dilatorie ple for the defendant shall be admitted. 1611 Rich Honest. Age (1844) 21 They..do seeke for nothing more then to checke the course of iustice by their delatory pleas. 1678 Hickes in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. IV. 49 At last all the dilatory exceptions being answered, the Jury was impanelled and the witnesses sworn. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. 301 Dilatory pleas are such as tend merely to delay or put off the suit, by questioning the propriety of the remedy, rather than by denying the injury. 1861 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot., Dilatory Defence is a plea offered by a defender for eliding the conclusions of the action, without entering on the merits of the cause. 1880 Muirhead Gaius iv. §120 Those [Exceptions] are dilatory that are available only for a time, such as that of an agreement not to sue say for five years. |
2. Given to or characterized by delay; slow, tardy. a. Of persons, their characters, habits, etc.
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. iii. 379 Wit depends on dilatory time. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 89 ¶1 Women of dilatory Tempers, who are for spinning out the Time of Courtship. 1742 Young N. Th. i. 413 Poor dilatory man. 1781 Cowper Lett. 25 Aug., The most dilatory of all people. 1838 Thirlwall Greece III. xix. 106 They are as prompt, as you are dilatory. 1884 Pae Eustace 38 You shall have no longer cause to think me dilatory. |
b. Of actions.
| 1648 Boyle Seraph. Love xii. (1700) 64 Being press'd to give an account of such a Dilatory way of proceeding. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 144 ¶11 But between dilatory payment and bankruptcy there is a great distance. 1843 Prescott Mexico vi. v. (1864) 369 Cortez was not content to wait patiently the effects of a dilatory blockade. 1879 Froude Caesar xxii. 386 His political advisers were impatient of these dilatory movements. |
B. n. Law. A means of procuring delay; a dilatory plea: see A. 1 b.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) II. 22 Shifting off the matter by subtil dilatories and frivolous cavilling about the law. 1585 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1841) 226 Delatories and shiftings off wear out many a just cause, and beggar many a poor man. 1681 Trial of S. Colledge 16 You ought not to have helps to plead dilatories. a 1734 North Lives (1826) I. 302 Criminals of that sort..should defend upon plain truth, which they know best, without any dilatories, arts or evasions. 1848 Wharton Law Lex. s.v. Dilatory Pleas, No man shall be permitted to plead two dilatories at separate times. |
▪ II. † diˈlatory, a.2 Obs. rare.
[A bad formation for dilatatory, f. dilate v.]
Used for dilating, dilative.
| 1691 Mullineux in Phil. Trans. XVII. 822 The Chyrurgion..inserted his Dilatory Instrument. |