do-nothing

/'du:,nʌθiɳ/ Cách viết khác : (do-naught) /'du:nɔ:t/
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Thân thiện
do-nothing

The do-nothing employee just stared at the blank screen all afternoon.

Definition

  1. Adjective:

    • Characterized by inactivity, laziness, or a refusal to work or take responsibility: Describes a person, group, or entity that avoids effort, work, or initiative.

  2. Noun:

    • A person who is idle and avoids work; a lazy or irresponsible individual: Refers specifically to a person who does no productive work.
Usage
  • Adjective: Used before a noun to describe its nature.
    • The board was criticized for its do-nothing approach to the crisis.
    • He was tired of the do-nothing attitude in the office.
  • Noun: Used to identify a person.
    • Don't be such a do-nothing; get up and help!
    • The manager called him a do-nothing and fired him.
Advanced Usage
  • "do-nothing policy/strategy": A policy or plan characterized by deliberate inaction.
    • The company's do-nothing strategy during the market shift led to its decline.
  • "do-nothingism" (related noun): The practice or policy of doing nothing; inactivity.
    • His do-nothingism was a major point of contention in the meeting.
Variants and Related Words
  • Idler (noun): A person who avoids work; a synonym for the noun form.
  • Sluggard (noun): A lazy, inactive person (more literary).
  • Inactive (adjective): Not active; a more general synonym for the adjective form.
  • Lazybones (noun, informal): A lazy person.
Synonyms
  • Adjective: Inactive, indolent, lazy, shiftless, slothful, inert.
  • Noun: Loafer, idler, slacker, layabout, bum, ne'er-do-well.
Related Phrases
  • Good-for-nothing: A worthless or useless person (often stronger in negative connotation than ).
    • He was dismissed as a good-for-nothing who would never change.
Notes on Meaning
  • The term do-nothing is inherently negative and critical. It implies blameworthy inactivity, not merely being at rest.
  • As an adjective, it is almost always used attributively (before the noun it modifies, e.g., a congress).
  • The hyphen is standard in the compound word when used as an adjective or noun.
do-nothing

The do-nothing employee just stared at the blank screen all afternoon.

Adjective
  1. characterized by inability or unwillingness to work toward a goal or assume responsibility
    • a do-nothing government
Noun
  1. person who does no work
    • a lazy bum

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