to arse about
1
9.9
- phrasal verb
- /ɑːs əˈbaʊt/
- Offensive
:
perder el tiempo
- Arse about much longer, you risk getting drummed out by the board.
Examples
-
Just 'cause I ken Robert doesn't mean you can arse about and take the piss.
-
She spent the whole afternoon arsing about instead of working on her project.
-
We can't afford to arse about any longer; deadlines are approaching.
-
If you keep arsing about instead of studying, you'll fail the exam.
Synonyms
7
6.2
To spend time doing little or nothing instead of working
5
7.0
To sit or lie in a lazy, relaxed way
5
7.9
To waste time by delaying when you should act
5
3.8
To relax and do very little
3
7.9
Spend time doing very little or nothing
2
7.7
To spend time doing nothing useful
2
9.9
To sit and do nothing instead of working
2
8.6
To spend time doing very little and moving around without plans
2
7.9
To waste time and effort without making progress
1
9.2
To spend time doing small unimportant things instead of working
1
8.7
To spend time doing things that are not important
1
7.7
To spend time doing nothing and not working
1
3.4
To spend time lazily doing little or nothing
1
4.4
To spend time doing very little and relaxing
1
9.9
To waste time by behaving in a silly or unproductive way instead of working
1
9.9
To waste time doing silly or lazy things instead of useful work
1
9.9
To waste time doing unimportant or silly things instead of doing something important
1
9.9
To waste time instead of doing something useful
1
6.5
To spend time doing nothing in a lazy way
To waste time instead of doing something useful
To waste time instead of working
Spend time or money on unimportant things
To spend time on things that are not useful
How Idle
26
6.5
- UK
3
5.9
- Offensive
1
9.9
17
5.0
- UK
1
6.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
arse + about
Although 'arse' (buttocks) + 'about' (around) gives a rough image of 'moving/doing around' and can hint at 'messing about', the idiomatic, vulgar sense 'to waste time or behave idly' is non‑literal and relies on colloquial slang usage. Because the meaning is partly inferable from the particle 'about' but depends on a metaphorical/slang use of a body‑part term, a B1 learner would only partially predict it without prior exposure.
Etymology
Arse about may come from a simple picture: someone moving their arse, their bottom, around instead of doing useful work. That's why the phrase now means 'to waste time' or behave in a lazy, silly way.