gather rosebuds

present singular third person gathers rosebuds · participle present gathering rosebuds · participle past gathered rosebuds · past gathered rosebuds

1. idiomaticTo enjoy life's immediate pleasures; to behave in a relaxed, carefree manner.

   Pottleby: I like to see young people enjoying their youth—gathering rosebuds.

   1890, Louis Napoleon Parker, St. George and the Dragon, Act 1, p. 2 (Google books)

   4 more examples

   Gather rosebuds, Gráinne, gather rosebuds. Look at your moths and butterflies and think of possibilities, think of love, Gráinne, think of open spaces and freedom and love.

   1995, John F. Deane, Flightlines, page 117

   But the sun shines on me still, and like any other poet I am gathering rosebuds while I may, for the glory of flowers too soon is past and summer hath too short a lease.

   2001 September 10, Garrison Keillor, “In Praise of Laziness”, in Time, retrieved 05 Apr 2015

   . . . Or the poets who have kept turning out exhortations to seize the day and gather rosebuds.

   2009 December 28, John Tierney, “Carpe Diem? Maybe Tomorrow”, in New York Times, retrieved 05 Apr 2015

   “Fleet Foxes” meandered and gathered rosebuds and killed time, but it also announced the arrival of a significant young songwriter.

   2011 April 22, Tris McCall, “CD Reviews: Helplessness Blues”, in NJ.com, retrieved 05 Apr 2015

   Synonyms: carpe diem, seize the day, take the cash and let the credit go