English Reference
Idiom idiom

tool around

Meaning

To spend one's time idly.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Examples
SIMPLE

“We just spent the afternoon tooling around the park.”

CONTEXTUAL

“Since we had no plans for the weekend, we just tooled around the house and watched movies.”

COMPLEX

“Instead of preparing for the upcoming presentation, he spent his final hours of freedom tooling around the city, aimlessly exploring the quiet, empty streets.”

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    down tools

    To stop work, especially when taking industrial action.

  2. 02

    tools of trade

    The items and equipment that a person uses in the course and scope of their profession, trade, or occupation.

Last updated August 10, 2026