to swing the lead
1swing the lead — If you swing the lead, you pretend to be ill or do not do your share of the work …
2swing the lead Brit. — swing the lead Brit. informal malinger; shirk one s duty. [with naut. allusion to using a lead to ascertain the depth of water.] → swing …
3swing the lead — ► swing the lead Brit. informal shirk one s duty. [ORIGIN: with nautical allusion to using a lead to ascertain the depth of water.] Main Entry: ↑swing …
4swing the lead — phrasal Etymology: fr. the feeling that the task of sounding with the lead is a comparatively light assignment for a sailor Britain : malinger * * * swing the lead (nautical and milit sl) To invent specious excuses to evade duties • • • Main… …
5swing the lead — to pretend unfitness to avoid work or duty The association with the function of the leadsman is unclear: The majority were swinging the lead and would do anything to protect themselves being marked Al. (F. Richards, 1933 soldiers in the …
6swing the lead — verb To pretend to be unwell so that you do not have to work. John phoned in sick, but I think he is just swinging the lead. He probably wants to watch the tennis final on TV …
7swing the lead — British & Australian, old fashioned to pretend to be ill so that you do not have to work. And is she genuinely ill or is she just swinging the lead? (usually in continuous tenses) …
8swing the lead — Vrb phrs. To waste time, to shirk one s duties. E.g. Come on Mark, stop swinging the lead, there s work to do …
9Swing the lead — be idle when there is work to be done …
10swing the lead — Australian Slang be idle when there is work to be done …
