| 词汇 | thesaurus_articles_to-spend-time-doing-nothing-or-very-little |
| 释义 | to spend time doing nothing or very littleThese words and phrases describe resting or having nothing or very little to do for a period of time. One word that describes this is the verb laze. Laze is often used with the words around or about to describe relaxing and enjoying yourself while doing very little. This word is sometimes a bit disapproving. I can’t wait to go on holiday and just laze about on the beach. He just lazes around, refusing to look for work. If you are in a particular place or situation where you normally have things to do, but you don’t have anything to do for a period of time, you can say that you have time to kill, have time on your hands, or, in informal UK English, are at a loose end. In US English, you can say you are at loose ends. We had some time to kill, so we went to the museum. She should be able to volunteer at the animal shelter - she has time on her hands since graduating from uni. UK He was at a loose end when his parents left on holiday. If you spend time in a place and have nothing to do, but are waiting for something to happen, you can say you are waiting around or, informally, hanging around. Hang around can be used with an object and without an object. In UK English, you can also use wait about, or hang about or hang round. We were just waiting around while our friends ran inside to get tickets. UK We were quite early to catch the ferry so were just waiting about the terminal. I'll just hang around until you get here. We're just hanging around the shopping centre. UK “We’re heading to town for some shopping.” “Can I come with you? I’ll just hang round the high street until you’re done.” If you’re bored by waiting, you can also say you are twiddling your thumbs. It’s a waste of time to have our workers here twiddling their thumbs while the whole computer system’s down. When you spend time relaxing and doing small and meaningless things because you have no work or nothing else to do, you can say you are idling away or whiling away a period of time. Both idle away and while away are slightly more formal than the other words and phrases in this article. The princess idled the afternoon away playing cards while her servants worked. I whiled away the whole day walking along the coast. If you regularly spend time in a place doing very little, and especially doing small meaningless things, you can say you are knocking around. Knock around is informal. In UK English, you can also use knock about. When he’s not filming on location, he’s knocking around his Brooklyn apartment. UK I love knocking about at home. There are many phrases for doing nothing that use words that describe a body position. If you lie around, sit around, or stand around, you are doing nothing or very little, sometimes while lying down, sitting, or standing. Lie around, sit around and stand around are all informal. In UK English, you can also use lie about, sit about or sit round, or stand about or stand round. “What are you up to today?” “Just lying around watching TV.” UK He's been lying about in bed all day. She sat around, waiting for her friends to finish their conversation. UK He just finished in the garden and is now sitting about, relaxing. UK Are you just going to sit round all day, or are you going to get up and do some work? Why are you all standing around? There’s work to do! UK The kids are standing about, waiting for the bus. UK Don't just stand round, waiting to be asked to help. The phrasal verb lounge around can be used when you are being lazy or relaxed and doing nothing. In UK English, you can also say lounge about. In informal situations, you can also use bum around to describe relaxing and doing nothing. I love nothing more than lounging around the house at the weekend. UK I love nothing more than lounging about the house at the weekend. After the week I’ve had, I’m just going to bum around. If you are sitting on your backside you are doing nothing even when you should be doing something. This phrase is slang and is also disapproving. Informally, you can also say someone is loafing if they are doing nothing because they are avoiding the things they should be doing, especially work. I’m tired of you sitting around on your backside - go and get a job! Quit loafing - the dishes aren’t going to wash themselves! In informal language, if you have been working very hard and decide to relax and do very little, you can say you are vegging out. I was on my feet all day – I think I’ll just veg out in front of the TV tonight. For words related to becoming less active and resting, see the article at relax. Related articlesnot willing to work or use effort |
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