drag feet or heels

drag feet or heels

Meaning:
– act reluctantly or without enthusiasm
– to do something slowly because you do not want to do it
– postpone doing what one should be doing
– act or work with intentional slowness, deliberately hold back or delay
– the British had been dragging their feet concerning a single European currency

Examples:
1. I suspect the government is dragging its heels over this issue.
2. We don't want to look as if we're dragging our heels over promoting women to senior positions.
3. The government has been dragging its feet in bringing up a bill in the Parliament on land acquisition.
4. I have been dragging my feet about filing my taxes.
5. When they told us they wanted to put computers in our classrooms, we dragged our heels a little bit.

Origin:
This metaphor for allowing one's feet to trail dates from the mid-1900s.