putter around
Do small tasks
Putter around means to occupy oneself with small, unhurried tasks without any particular urgency or purpose.
The activity is pleasant but unproductive—fixing a loose doorknob, reorganizing a shelf, watering plants: I spent Sunday puttering around the house.
British English uses potter around for the same thing.
- wanderMove without fixed direction
- dawdleLinger without purpose
- dabbleEngage superficially
- fiddleAdjust restlessly; folk violin
- fiddle aboutIdle aimlessly with distractions
tinker · shuffle · idle · do nothing · waste time · amble · linger · kill time · while away · saunter · poke · faff · loiter · dilly-dally · drift · knock about · footle · lounge
purposefulness and productivity
putter aroundbuckle down
Apply oneself determinedly
get down to business · concentrate · apply oneself · labor · toil
around, potter, putter, potters, puttering, pottering, pottered, putters, puttered