twiddling thumbs
Bored finger rotation
Twiddling thumbs is rotating one's thumbs around each other while the fingers are interlaced—the classic gesture of having nothing to do.
The phrase usually appears with a possessive: I've been sitting here twiddling my thumbs all morning.
It suggests idle waiting or boredom, often with a note of frustration at being unable to act.
- boredLacking interest or engagement
- idleWithout activity or purpose
- idle handsUnoccupied extremities seeking mischief
- waitingRemaining in expectation
- waiting aroundRemaining idle expectantly
on standby · restless · impatient · fidgeting · lounging · killing time · passing time · daydreaming · listless · antsy · cooling heels · dawdling · loafing · doing nothing · sitting around · wasting time · spinning wheels · boredom
- boredomboredom, ennui, tedium, monotony, dullness
- idlenessdoing nothing, idling, loafing, lounging, lazing
- waitingwait, await, bide, hold on, hang on
- idle actionsfidgeting, waiting, daydreaming, lounging, pacing
- Idle Phrasesidle hands, killing time, at rest, doing nothing, sitting around
- foolishnessfoolishness, silliness, foolish, stupid, folly
twiddling thumbsgetting things done
Accomplishing tasks effectively
toiling · hustling · laboring · grinding · accomplishing
twiddling thumbsbusy as a bee
Idiom for tireless activity
swamped · slammed · up to one's ears · flat out · in the thick of it
twiddling thumbstaking action
Initiating purposeful effort
taking initiative · seizing the day · on a mission · driven · purposeful
twiddling, thumbs, twiddle, twiddles, twiddled, twiddler, thumb, thumbed, thumbing