
IdiomBody & Senses
English
drag one's feet
Meaning: To delay deliberately.
Example: “The landlord has been dragging his feet over the repairs.”
Origin: Someone who does not want to arrive walks slowly, scuffing their feet. The figurative use is common from the 20th century.
Other ways to say this
Russian: Тянуть кота за хвост (Tyanut' kota za khvost) Literally: To pull the cat by the tail
Portuguese: Empurrar com a barriga Literally: To push with the bellyEnglish: kick the can down the road
More English idioms
- go through the motions To do something without care or real effort.
- when pigs fly Never.
- mark my words Remember what I am telling you; it will turn out to be true.
- lead someone up the garden path To deceive someone, keeping them hopeful along the way.
- packed like sardines Crowded very tightly together.
- give someone the runaround To put someone off with excuses instead of a straight answer.
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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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