puttered around
Killed time aimlessly
To putter around is to occupy oneself with minor tasks in an unhurried, aimless way: He puttered around the garage all Saturday afternoon.
The activity suggests pleasant idleness rather than productive work—tinkering, tidying, moving from one small thing to another without urgency.
British English uses pottered.
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
- fiddledToyed idly with
- tinkeredAdjusted without expertise
- wanderedMoved without fixed course
- lollygaggedSpent time aimlessly
dawdled · pottered about · faffed about · dallied · killed time · wasted time · cleaned · moseyed · strolled · took it easy · relaxed · muddled through · lingered · ambled · idle · loitered · rearranged · shuffled
purposefulness and intensity of activity
puttered aroundbuckled down
Began working earnestly
got down to business · labored · toiled · applied oneself · powered through