twiddle thumbs
Do nothing impatiently
To twiddle one's thumbs is to rotate them idly around each other, typically while the fingers are interlaced—a gesture of boredom or impatience.
The phrase usually implies having nothing useful to do: I sat there twiddling my thumbs while they decided my fate.
It can suggest enforced idleness or wasted time.
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- boredLacking interest or engagement
- waitingRemaining in expectation
- wait aroundRemain idly expecting something
- cool one's heelsWait, often ignored
sitting idle · restless · impatient · fidget · loiter · dawdle · kill time · pass the time · waste time · burning daylight · spin wheels · lazy · listless · nothing to do · antsy · sit around · kick back · lounge
- idlingidle, idled, loaf, loafed, laze
- waitingwait, await, bide, hold on, hang on
- doing nothingdo nothing, stand still, sit tight, stay put, keep still
twiddle thumbswork hard
Expend serious effort
get things done · get to work · hustle · buckle down · roll up one's sleeves
twiddle thumbsrun ragged
Exhaust through excessive demands
multitask · scramble · race against time · burn the candle at both ends · have one's hands full
twiddle thumbsrush
Quick sudden movement
hurry · scramble · race against time · hustle · run around
twiddle, thumbs, thumb, twiddled, twiddling, twiddler, thumbed, thumbing