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twiddle one's thumbs

twiddle one's thumbs

Be bored or idle, as in There I sat for three hours, twiddling my thumbs, while he made call after call. This expression alludes to the habit of idly turning one's thumbs about one another during a period of inactivity. [Mid-1800s]
See also: thumb, twiddle

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Tiriaq-Native American, Inuit
Bergljot-Norwegian
RiČArdas-Lithuanian
Zenaida-Late Greek
Ginevrajee-NEV-rahItalian
Vjera-Croatian, Serbian
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