sits on one's hands
Refuses to act
To sit on one's hands is to refrain from acting when action is expected or needed—to remain passive, withhold applause, or decline to participate.
The image is of someone keeping their hands unavailable: The committee sat on its hands while the problem worsened.
In theatrical contexts, an audience that sits on its hands fails to clap.
- doing nothingAbsence of activity
- self-controlAbility to restrain impulses
- apathyAbsence of feeling
- idlenessState of doing nothing
- twiddling thumbsGesture of impatient boredom
standing idly by · inertia · abstention · forbearance · patience · disengagement · neglect · looking the other way · stagnation · dormancy · nonintervention · procrastination · torpor · immobility · dragging one's feet · lethargy · vacillation · discretion
sits on one's handstakes action
Begins doing something
takes the initiative · rolls up one's sleeves · takes the bull by the horns · jumps in · steps up
sits, sitting, sitter, sitters, ones, hand, hands, handed, handing