Idiom / PhraseVintage & Colonial
Molly with the Dolly
[mol-ee with thuh dol-ee]Colonial cantonments & Pan-Diaspora· Anglo-Indian colonial rhyme derived from "mali with the dali" (gardener bearing an offering basket)
Also spelled: mali with the dali, christmas hamper
Community Definitions1
Definition #1
A festive colonial-era rhyming expression referencing the compound gardener bringing in the traditional Christmas dali—a festive wicker hamper of fruits, sweets, and flowers.
“On Christmas morning, the compound bell rang and here came Molly with the Dolly with fresh guavas, marigolds, and sugar cane.”
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