twiddle one's thumbs

twiddle one's thumbs
twiddle one's thumbs
Fig. to pass the time by twirling one's thumbs. •

What am I supposed to do while waiting for you? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?

Don't sit around twiddling your thumbs. Get busy!

* * *
{v. phr.} To do nothing; be idle. * /I'd rather work than stand around here twiddling my thumbs./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • twiddle one's thumbs — {v. phr.} To do nothing; be idle. * /I d rather work than stand around here twiddling my thumbs./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • twiddle one's thumbs — ► twiddle one s thumbs be idle; have nothing to do. Main Entry: ↑twiddle …   English terms dictionary

  • twiddle one's thumbs — BE IDLE, kick one s heels, kill time, waste time; informal hang around/round; Brit. informal hang about. → twiddle * * * phrasal : to spend time vacantly : do nothing kept the manager busy and left me twiddling my thumbs * * * twiddle one s… …   Useful english dictionary

  • twiddle one's thumbs — idi twiddle one s thumbs, to do nothing; be idle …   From formal English to slang

  • twiddle one's thumbs — verb a) to circle ones thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored He twiddled his thumbs for almost a week while he waited for somebody to set up his computer. b) To wait or dawdle; to …   Wiktionary

  • twiddle one’s thumbs — tv. to do nothing; to wait nervously, playing with one’s fingers. □ I sat twiddling my thumbs while you were out doing I don’t know what all! □ Don’t just sit home twiddling your thumbs …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

  • twiddle one's thumbs —    A person who twiddles their thumbs has nothing to do, or is doing nothing useful.     Go and help your father! You can t sit there all day twiddling your thumbs! …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • twiddle one's thumbs — have nothing to do. → twiddle …   English new terms dictionary

  • twiddle\ one's\ thumbs — v. phr. To do nothing; be idle. I d rather work than stand around here twiddling my thumbs …   Словарь американских идиом

  • twiddle one's thumbs — not busy, not working He was sitting around twiddling his thumbs all day and didn t get any work done …   Idioms and examples

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