drag one's feet
Resist moving forward
To drag one's feet is to delay or act slowly, usually because of reluctance or unwillingness to proceed.
The image is of someone walking so unenthusiastically that their feet barely leave the ground.
The committee has been dragging its feet on the proposal for months.
The phrase often implies that the delay is deliberate or passive-aggressive rather than caused by legitimate obstacles.
Delay action unnecessarily
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- postponeDelay to later time
- deferDelay or submit
- dawdleLinger without purpose
dally · tarry · temporize · dilly-dally · shilly-shally · put off · hold off · buy time
Pause in uncertainty
- waverHesitate or fluctuate
- vacillateWaver between choices
- ditherNervous inability to choose
- equivocateSpeak vaguely to mislead
fence-sitting · second-guessing · hem and haw · deliberate · falter · waffle · balk · ambivalence
Disinclination to act
- disinclinationLack of desire
- hesitancyUnwillingness to proceed
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
- warinessCautious distrust
unenthusiastic · loath · reluctant · halfhearted · begrudging · grudging · disinclined · lukewarm
To obstruct movement
- hinderObstruct or delay
- obstructBlock or hinder passage
- stonewallRefuse to cooperate
- blockSolid mass, or impede
resist · thwart · noncompliance · recalcitrance · obstructionism · roadblock · bottleneck · holdout
procrastinate
Delay action unnecessarily
dawdle · dally · tarry · temporize · dilly-dally · shilly-shally · put off · hold off · buy time · prolong
hesitate
Pause in uncertainty
equivocate · fence-sitting · second-guessing · hem and haw · deliberate · falter · waffle · balk · ambivalence · uncertainty
unwillingness
Disinclination to act
- disinclinationLack of desire
- hesitancyUnwillingness to proceed
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
wariness · unenthusiastic · loath · reluctant · halfhearted · begrudging · grudging · disinclined · lukewarm · apathetic
impede
To obstruct movement
block · resist · thwart · noncompliance · recalcitrance · obstructionism · roadblock · bottleneck · holdout · filibuster
drag one's feetrush
Quick sudden movement
hurry · make haste · hasten · expedite · get a move on
drag one's feetjump at the chance
Eagerly accept an opportunity
embrace · dive in · throw oneself into · chomp at the bit · go for it
drag one's feettake the plunge
Commit after hesitation
bite the bullet · forge ahead · strike while the iron is hot · take the bull by the horns · pull the trigger