twiddling one's thumbs

A form of twiddle one's thumbs — to circle one's thumbs around one another, usually with the fingers interlaced, usually done idly while waiting or bored

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Meanings

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of twiddle one's thumbs
Cite this entry
APA

twiddling one's thumbs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/twiddling%20one's%20thumbs

MLA

“twiddling one's thumbs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/twiddling%20one's%20thumbs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “twiddling one's thumbs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/twiddling%20one's%20thumbs.

Source: twiddling one's thumbs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.