drag your feet/heels

drag (one's) feet

1. Literally, to not completely pick up one's feet when walking, so that they drag with each step. Please stop dragging your feet, you're going to wear out the soles of your shoes. Now that my toddler can walk, she'll either run at full speed or drag her feet—there is no speed in between. Do you think Grandpa drags his feet like that because he's afraid of falling?

2. To move slowly and reluctantly because one does not want to do something. We can't be late for the dentist, so quit dragging your feet and get in the car! Come on, I know you're dragging your feet to avoid working on your book report. A: "You can't drag your feet on this anymore." B: "I know, but I'm just so scared that I'll make the wrong decision."

See also: drag, feet

drag (one's) heels

To move slowly and reluctantly because one does not want to do something. We can't be late for the dentist, so quit dragging your heels and get in the car! Come on, I know you're dragging your heels to avoid working on your book report. A: "You can't drag your heels on this anymore." B: "I know, but I'm just so scared that I'll make the wrong decision."

See also: drag, heel

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

drag your feet (or heels)

(of a person or organization) be deliberately slow or reluctant to act.

1994 Nature Conservancy We can't afford to drag our feet until a species is at the brink of extinction.

See also: drag, feet

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

drag your ˈfeet/ˈheels

do something very slowly or delay doing something because you do not want to do it: How much longer will the government go on dragging its feet about whether to invest more money in the railways?

See also: drag, feet, heel

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017