What does fritter away mean?

: to spend or use up (something) in a slow and usually foolish way He frittered the afternoon away. He frittered away his fortune on gambling.

How do I use away time? synonyms for while away the time

• amuse oneself.
• consume time.
• fritter away time.
• have leisure.
• idle away time.
• pass the time.
• sit on one’s hands.
• summer.

Likewise What does living on the breadline mean?

: the level of income at which someone is considered poor : poverty line people living below/near/on the breadline.

What is the meaning of odd and ends? Odds and ends are a mixture of different things, especially leftover or miscellaneous bits. … Odds and ends probably started out as odd ends in the sixteenth century, meaning “leftover pieces or lumber or cloth.”

What does squabble up mean?

intransitive verb. : to quarrel noisily and usually over petty matters.

What is while away time? while away. Spend time idly or pleasantly, as in It was a beautiful day and we whiled away the hours in the garden. This expression is the only surviving use of the verb while, meaning “to spend time.” [ First half of 1600s]

Is it while away or wile away?

Use “while away,” that’s what. While most authorities, including the American Heritage Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s Tenth Collegiate, accept either spelling, others favor “while away.”

Is a while away meaning? to spend time in a relaxed way because you have nothing to do or you are waiting for something else to happen: We whiled away the afternoon playing cards in front of the fire. That’s the spot where Sara and I used to while away the hours between lectures.

What does it mean to take with a pinch of salt?

If you take something with a pinch of salt, you do not believe that it is completely accurate or true.

What is the meaning of ivory tower? Definition of ivory tower

1 : an impractical often escapist attitude marked by aloof lack of concern with or interest in practical matters or urgent problems. 2 : a secluded place that affords the means of treating practical issues with an impractical often escapist attitude especially : a place of learning.

What is meant by shelled out?

shell out. Pay, hand over, as in We had to shell out $1,000 for auto repairs. This expression transfers taking a seed such as a pea or nut out of its pod or shell to taking money out of one’s pocket. [

What is the meaning of idiom on the carpet? : to criticize (someone) for doing something wrong He was/got called on the carpet for missing the deadline.

What is the meaning of idiom kith and kin?

: friends and relatives They invited all their kith and kin to their new home.

What is leaps and bounds? Rapidly, or in fast progress, as in The corn is growing by leaps and bounds, or School enrollment is increasing by leaps and bounds. This term is a redundancy, since leap and bound both mean “spring” or “jump,” but the two words have been paired since Shakespeare’s time and are still so used.

What does squab mean dictionary?

Definition of squab

1a : couch. b : a cushion for a chair or couch. 2 or plural squab : a fledgling bird specifically : a fledgling pigeon about four weeks old. 3 : a short fat person. Other Words from squab Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About squab.

What is the meaning of the word propping? transitive verb. 1a : to support by placing something under or against —often used with up. b : to support by placing against something. 2 : sustain, strengthen —often used with up a government propped up by the military.

What is the full meaning of spat?

SPAT. Sports and Physical Aptitude Test.

What does it mean when someone is estranged? Definition of estranged

: having lost former closeness and affection : in a state of alienation from a previous close or familial relationship her estranged husband [=her husband with whom she no longer lives] Social workers may try to resolve conflicts between estranged siblings.—

What does whine down mean?

1 : to draw gradually toward an end the party was winding down. 2 : relax, unwind wind down with a good book. transitive verb. : to cause a gradual lessening of usually with the intention of bringing to an end. Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About wind down.

What is being zealous? 1 : filled with or showing a strong and energetic desire to get something done or see something succeed The police were zealous in their pursuit of the criminals. 2 : marked by passionate support for a person, cause, or ideal a zealous fan. Other Words from zealous. zealously adverb.

Is wile away the hours correct?

“To while away the hours” means to “pass time idly” or to “pass time, especially in some leisurely or pleasant manner.” For example, “I spent hours whiling away on the beach last Sunday.” “Wile” is generally used as a noun, meaning “trickery” or “cunning” (who could forget Wile E.

Which part of speech is while away? The fourth part of speech for while is a verb. Often used with away, it means “to cause to pass especially without boredom or in a pleasant manner”: Of course, if these activities are of no interest, there’s no shame in whiling away the days by the resort’s beautiful pool.

Is a while one word or two words?

There are rules, but who’s listening? Awhile is an adverb that means “for a while,” whereas “while” is a noun meaning “a period of time.” Generally, the two-word form “a while” should be used when following a preposition (“I will read for a while”), or with the words ago or back (“a while ago/back”).