spin wheels
Related to spin wheels: spin one's wheels
spin (one's) wheels
To waste one's time or energy idly or frivolously; to neither progress nor regress, but remain in a fixed, neutral position. They kept me on to manage what's left of this division, but to be honest, I've just been spinning my wheels here for the last couple of years. We haven't been able to do anything new until more funding comes in, so the project is just spinning its wheels for the moment.
See also: spin, wheel
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
spin one's wheels
to waste time; to remain in a neutral position, neither advancing nor falling back. (Fig. on a car that is running but is not moving because its wheels are spinning in mud, etc.) I'm just spinning my wheels in this job. I need more training to get ahead. The whole project was just spinning its wheels until spring.
See also: spin, wheel
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
spin (one's) wheels
Informal To expend effort with no result.
See also: spin, wheel
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- spin (one's) wheels
- spin one’s wheels
- spin one's wheels
- spin your wheels
- jack off
- loaf about
- faff
- faff around
- fanny about
- fanny around