drag one's heels
Slow things down
To drag one's heels is to delay or act reluctantly, proceeding more slowly than necessary.
The image is of someone walking with feet trailing rather than stepping briskly: The committee has been dragging its heels on the proposal for months.
Also appears as drag one's feet.
Delay action unnecessarily
- stallEnclosed compartment or delay
- postponeDelay to later time
- deferDelay or submit
- dawdleLinger without purpose
tarry · dilly-dally · put off · lag · protract · adjourn · temporize · hold back
Refuse to cooperate
- impedeTo obstruct movement
- hinderObstruct or delay
- obstructBlock or hinder passage
- blockSolid mass, or impede
thwart · hamper · frustrate · filibuster · bureaucratic · red tape · bottleneck · roadblock
Slow to act
- unwillingOpposed to participating
- reluctantUnwilling to act
- resistantWithstanding external forces
- averseOpposed or unwilling
loath · disinclined · half-hearted · unenthusiastic · grudging · reticent · ambivalent · tentative
procrastinate
Delay action unnecessarily
dawdle · tarry · dilly-dally · put off · lag · protract · adjourn · temporize · hold back · slow down
stonewall
Refuse to cooperate
block · thwart · hamper · frustrate · filibuster · bureaucratic · red tape · bottleneck · roadblock · hold up
hesitant
Slow to act
averse · loath · disinclined · half-hearted · unenthusiastic · grudging · reticent · ambivalent · tentative · wary
drag one's heelsrush
Quick sudden movement
charge ahead · hurry · speed up · press on · forge ahead
drag one's heelsjump at the chance
Eagerly accept an opportunity
spring into action · dive in · throw oneself into · seize the moment · take the bull by the horns
drag one's heelstake the bull by the horns
Confront a difficulty directly
bite the bullet · take action · get on with it · take the plunge · commit