to drag one's heels
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
dilatar
- Don't drag your heels; we need to submit the report by the end of the day.
Examples
-
The ground branch guys are dragging their heels, there's no team deployed right now.
-
Are you really trying to make out... that for once Britain isn't dragging its heels?
-
Is this Gaddafi dragging his heels, or his son?
-
Are you really trying to make out... that for once Britain isn't dragging its heels?
-
So you're the reason she's dragging her heels on Paris
-
He is dragging his heels on starting the project because he is unsure about it.
-
She always drags her heels when it comes to making important decisions.
Synonyms
166
4.3
To delay doing something on purpose to get more time
34
4.2
Delay making a decision about something while thinking about it
34
4.6
To hesitate and stay behind the group
26
6.5
To delay doing something you should do because you avoid it
17
5.0
Move or act slowly and waste time, causing delay
16
3.5
Wait before doing something because you feel unsure
12
8.1
Not do anything when action is needed
6
4.8
To delay doing something to get more time
4
7.7
To waste time by moving or acting slowly
4
5.0
To delay on purpose to get more time before deciding or acting
3
7.5
Do something slowly on purpose and without hurry
3
6.3
Spend time waiting without making progress, doing unproductive things
2
9.3
To delay making a decision to gain time or avoid conflict
1
7.4
To do nothing when someone should act
1
8.3
To waste time by being slow or unsure about what to do
1
8.6
Wait too long to act and miss a chance
1
9.2
To delay deciding for now because it is difficult or unclear
To be slow on purpose because you do not want to do something
Delay making a decision by waiting instead of choosing
Hesitate instead of deciding or acting quickly
Antonyms
How Slow
- Literature
42
7.8
166
4.3
- Informal
562
1.4
318
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to delay or be deliberately slow' is directly derivable from combining 'drag' (to move or pull slowly) with 'one's heels' (the heels of one's feet): the mental image of literally dragging one's heels naturally conveys slowness or reluctance. This image-based composition is straightforward and cross-linguistically accessible, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will likely infer the idiomatic meaning.
Etymology
The idiom drag one's heels comes from the picture of someone literally dragging their heels (their feet) along the ground to move very slowly or to refuse to go. That's why it means 'to delay taking action' or 'be deliberately slow'.