At A Loose End

Language Snack

Exercise

1. If you are at a loose end, are you:

a) busy, with lots to do?

b) free, and looking for something to do?

c) lost?

2. This expression was originally used on:

a) ships

b) trains

c) aeroplanes

Answers

1. b

2. a

Read

You’re listening to British Council’s English Online podcast and I’m Nina. Today on Language Snacks we take a look at the expression at a loose end. Let’s listen to the dialogue.

A: Hi! Do you want to have lunch?

B: Sure, but I thought you had a meeting with John.

A: Oh, he had to cancel, so I'm at a loose end.

B: Great, I'll just get my coat.

Most of us lead very busy lives these days, but do you ever finish everything you have to do and find that you have a bit of spare time to fill? In these situations, when we have free time, but we don't know what to do with it, we say we are at a loose end.

This expression was originally about sailors' ropes which had become untied, or 'loose', and therefore were not being used properly.

And that’s it for now – join us again for some more Language Snacks.
You’ve been listening to English Online – the podcast for English learners in China.

Sun, 14/03/2010 - 9:19am — iandhha

Thx ! I'm at a loose end now.....

iandhha

Sat, 13/03/2010 - 2:44am — vanillalord

I confronted such situation many times
at a loose end

vanillalord

Tue, 09/03/2010 - 10:54pm — liudm0103

I'm at a loose end for a long time,but now I find something to do,it's studying English!haha

liudm0103

Fri, 05/03/2010 - 7:30am — yycliric

Good expression!

yycliric

Sat, 27/02/2010 - 4:44am — sumaya

sumai

Right now I'm loose end , chating with friend and partice in some listening test ,how ever do you know that some time is good to be a loose end ,but some time isn't.