conveyance consisting of a wheeled support on which a camera can be mounted
"The cinematographer smoothly pushed the dolly across the studio floor to capture the continuous tracking shot."
conveyance consisting of a wheeled platform for moving heavy objects
"The movers carefully loaded the piano onto the dolly to transport it up the stairs."
A doll.
"When asked about her favorite country star, the singer immediately began singing a song by dolly."
An offering of fruit or flowers.
Ellipsis of Dolly Parton.
In plain English: A dolly is a reference to the famous singer and actress, Dolly Parton.
"The museum featured a sparkly pink dress inspired by a famous country singer's style, reminiscent of a dolly."
Usage: Dolly (noun) refers to a small, wheeled platform used for moving heavy objects-think furniture or equipment-short distances. It's distinct from a handcart, which is typically larger and can be moved over longer stretches.
To hit a dolly.
"The driver accidentally hit the dolly while backing up into the garage."
In plain English: To "dolly" means to playfully punch someone lightly on the arm.
"The stagehand carefully dolly'd the set piece into position."
Usage: In filmmaking, to "dolly" means to smoothly move the camera along a track or wheeled platform. It's distinct from zooming; dollying physically shifts the camera's perspective.
Pretty; attractive.
"She looked dolly in her new summer dress."
In plain English: Dolly means someone is cute or good-looking.
"She looked like a classic Hollywood dolly in her shimmering gown."
Usage: Use this vintage term to describe someone, typically a woman, as charmingly pretty or attractive, often with a playful or old-fashioned connotation. It's less common now and can sound slightly whimsical or dated.
A diminutive of the female given names Dorothy or Dolores.
"The old-fashioned dolly was once a popular nickname for my grandmother, whose full name was Dorothy."
The word dolly comes from combining "doll" with a suffix that was originally used to describe women or female pets before expanding to mean various types of mechanical devices. This naming pattern follows similar examples like jack, jenny, and jimmy, where personal names were applied to useful tools.