to tootle around
1
8.4
- phrasal verb
- UK
- Let's tootle around the park this afternoon.
Examples
-
Instead of rushing home, he decided to tootle around downtown for a while.
-
He loves to tootle around town on weekends.
-
On weekends, we like to tootle around the countryside in our old car.
-
They spent the afternoon tootling around the city, enjoying the sights.
-
On weekends, I love to tootle around the park enjoying the fresh air.
-
They spent the afternoon tootling around town, stopping at cafés and shops.
-
After lunch, we decided to tootle around the neighborhood to explore new places.
Synonyms
536
1.7
To go on foot in a place without a clear purpose, often for pleasure
489
1.3
Move around without a fixed direction, often slowly and in curves
214
2.3
To drive a car without a fixed destination to relax
206
2.5
Move around without a fixed place, often while looking for something
22
7.6
To walk around without a clear plan, often slowly and without much energy
14
4.1
To drive slowly around an area without a specific destination
12
3.1
To move around a place on your feet without a clear purpose
11
3.7
Move around slowly in a place without any clear purpose, often in a group
8
5.3
To move around a place without a clear reason, often in a group
6
4.4
To walk for pleasure without a fixed route
5
6.9
To walk around without a clear purpose
5
6.5
To spend time doing small, not important tasks slowly without a clear plan
5
7.7
Move around with no set place to go for fun
4
7.9
Spend time doing very little or nothing
1
5.0
Moving from place to place without a clear purpose
1
9.7
To walk around without a clear destination for pleasure
1
8.6
To travel slowly without a fixed plan for pleasure
1
6.5
To move around slowly doing small jobs in no hurry
1
6.8
To move or travel slowly without a plan
1
9.9
To go from place to place for fun without a plan
1
9.0
To move around places for pleasure without a plan
1
9.9
Move around without a clear plan or purpose
1
8.2
To walk slowly without a clear purpose
1
9.9
Walk slowly without a clear plan and enjoy the view
1
9.3
Move around without a plan to have fun
1
7.9
To go slowly and enjoy the journey
Walk around slowly without a plan
Antonyms
How Fast
2
2.7
489
1.3
- UK
1
8.4
- UK
1
6.5
37
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from 'tootle' (to travel or move slowly without a fixed destination) combined with 'around' (moving about aimlessly), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it means to move or travel in a leisurely, aimless way. The verb + adverb/particle pattern is a common, compositional structure in English and in many languages, so there is no idiomatic shift that would block comprehension.
Etymology
Tootle around may come from tootle, the soft 'toot' sound of a small horn when someone drove or rode slowly and wandered about. So the picture of a little car or bike making light 'toot' sounds while moving without hurry explains why it means 'to move or travel in a slow and relaxed way'.