dolly

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɑli/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdɒli/
• Rhymes: -ɒli

Noun

dolly (plural dollies)

1. A contrivance, turning on a vertical axis by a handle or winch, and giving a circular motion to the ore to be washed; a stirrer.
2. A tool with an indented head for shaping the head of a rivet.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)

3. In pile driving, a block interposed between the head of the pile and the ram of the driver.
4. A small truck with a single wide roller used for moving heavy beams, columns, etc., in bridge building.
5. A compact, narrow-gauge locomotive used for moving construction trains, switching, etc.
6. (film) A specialized piece of film equipment resembling a little cart on which a camera is mounted.
7. (childish, colloquial) A doll.
8. (slang) A young woman, especially one who is frivolous or vapid.
   • 1978, John McGrath, Yobbo nowt, page 39:

     But really you get your money from selling things — that's your line, and your Dad's isn't it? Using sexy dollies to con money out of people who've had to work for it. Well my daughter's not just a sugar-plum fairy to titillate men's fantasies, you know.

   • 1996, Billboard (number 45, page 24)

     This glorious collection should be passed around clubland as a textbook study in making a seamless transition from being a disco dolly to a serious pop vocalist.

9. (cricket) A ball hit by a batsman such that it goes gently to a fielder for a simple catch.

Verb

dolly (third-person singular simple present dollies, present participle dollying, simple past and past participle dollied)

1. (transitive, cricket) To hit a dolly.
2. To move an object using a dolly.

Adjective

dolly (comparative more dolly, superlative most dolly)

1. (Polari) Pretty; attractive.
   • 1967, Bona Bijou Tourettes (Round the Horne), season 3, episode 12, written by Kenneth Horne:

     Divine. Sitting, sipping a tiny drinkette, vadaïng the great butch omis and dolly little palones trolling by, or disporting yourself on the sable plage getting your lallies all bronzed - your riah getting bleached by the soleil.

   • 2015 October 12, Lowe, Adam, “Poem of the week: Vada That”, in The Guardian‎:

     She minces past the brandy latch / to vada dolly dish for trade, silly / with oomph and taste to park.

Anagrams

• Lloyd, oldly