idle away

idle away

To waste an interval of time in laziness or inactivity. A noun or pronoun can be used between "idle" and "away." Don't idle the whole day away, or else you'll be up all night finishing your science project. I idled away a few hours and then got back to my research. Can you get her to start her book report please? She's idled the afternoon away.

See also: away, idle

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

idle something away

Fig. to waste one's time in idleness; to waste a period of time, such as an afternoon, evening, one's life. She idled the afternoon away and then went to a party. Don't idle away the afternoon.

See also: away, idle

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

idle away

v.

To spend some period of time not working or avoiding work: I idled the day away. The children idled away the summer.

See also: away, idle

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.