What Does “Laze sth away” Mean?
“Laze sth away” means to spend time doing nothing important or relaxing without any purpose, often wasting time.
Introduction
The phrase “laze sth away” is a common phrasal verb used in English to describe spending time idly or relaxing without doing anything productive. The “sth” stands for “something,” which refers to a period or amount of time. When you “laze time away,” you are essentially relaxing and enjoying yourself without rushing or focusing on tasks. Understanding the laze sth away meaning helps learners use it naturally in conversations about leisure or rest. It is often used in casual settings to talk about how people spend their free time, especially when they choose to rest instead of working.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: laze something away
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: spend time relaxing and doing nothing important
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Laze away” is a separable phrasal verb, which means you can place the object (something) between “laze” and “away” or after “away.”
- laze something away (correct) – e.g., laze the afternoon away
- laze away something (less common but possible) – e.g., laze away the afternoon
Usually, the first form is more natural.
How to Use “Laze sth away”?
Use “laze sth away” when you want to describe spending a specific amount of time relaxing or doing very little. It often refers to enjoying free time without stress or work. You can use it in both past and present tenses, and it usually takes a time-related noun as the object, such as “day,” “afternoon,” or “weekend.”
Examples
Here are some examples that show how to use “laze sth away” in a sentence:
- We lazed the whole Sunday afternoon away by the beach.
- She lazed her summer vacation away reading books and watching movies.
- Instead of working, he lazed the morning away playing video games.
- They lazed the weekend away, enjoying the warm weather and relaxing in the garden.
- After a busy week, I like to laze the evening away with some music and tea.
Common Mistakes
Many learners confuse the placement of the object or misuse the phrase in formal contexts. Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: I lazed away the afternoon.
- Correct: I lazed the afternoon away.
- Incorrect: She lazed the work away.
- Correct: She lazed the afternoon away. (You cannot laze “work” away because it usually refers to time.)
Differences / Synonyms
“Laze sth away” is similar to phrases like “while away,” “idle away,” or “kill time.” However, there are subtle differences:
- While away: Also means to spend time pleasantly, often interchangeable with “laze away.”
- Idle away: Suggests time spent doing nothing productive, similar to “laze away” but with a slightly negative tone.
- Kill time: Means to do something to make time pass faster, not necessarily relaxing.
“Laze sth away” focuses more on relaxing and enjoying the time pass without stress.
Common Collocations
People usually laze away periods of time, especially related to free time. Common collocations include:
- laze the afternoon away – spend the afternoon relaxing
- laze the day away – rest or relax during the day
- laze the weekend away – enjoy a stress-free weekend
- laze the summer away – relax during summer vacation
- laze the evening away – unwind in the evening
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of laze sth away:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “laze sth away”:
Anna: What did you do last weekend?
Tom: I just lazed the whole weekend away at home. Watched some movies and relaxed.
Anna: That sounds nice! I needed some rest too.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “laze sth away”:
- We __________ the afternoon __________ by the pool.
- She likes to __________ her weekends __________ reading novels.
- After exams, they __________ the summer __________ without any worries.
FAQs
- Q: Can I use “laze away” without an object? A: Yes, but it is more common and natural to use it with an object, like a period of time.
- Q: Is “laze sth away” formal? A: No, it is informal and used in casual conversations.
- Q: Can “laze sth away” refer to wasting time? A: Yes, it can mean relaxing or wasting time without doing anything productive.
- Q: What kind of time can I laze away? A: Usually free time like afternoons, weekends, evenings, or vacations.
- Q: Is “laze away” separable? A: Yes, you can put the object between “laze” and “away.”
