dawdle
DAW-dulverbMeaning to waste time; to move slowly and idly
Memory hook DAWDLE ~ DOODLE: doodling along. On the way to school, Kai stops to poke every puddle, smell every flower and count every snail while Mom waits up ahead: he dawdles.
Don’t dawdle; the bus leaves in five minutes!
In context Instead of hurrying home as they had promised, the boys dawdled, skipping stones at the creek and watching ducks until the sun went down.
Similar dally, loiter, linger, dilly-dally
Opposite hurry, hasten, rush