Question of the Day #686

Atmospheric CO2 levels have gone from 337 parts per million (ppm) to 420 ppm; the oceans are choked with acidification, the coral beds are dying, forests are burning, and the world’s politicians are burning jet fuel to twiddle their thumbs at these climate meetings.

From the 12th pargraph of this article at Greenpeace.

上記の文で、twiddle one's thumbsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "twiddle one's thumbs" mean?

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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 両手の指を組んで親指同士をくるくる回す
2. [暇なので]のんびりしている

実際に暇な時、１番目の訳の動作をする人もいるのですが、慣用句としては比喩として使われることがほとんどです。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To wait idly because one cannot take action or has nothing to do at the moment. Although the phrase refers to an actual movement of the hand (in which one's fingers are interlaced and each thumb is brought over the other in succession), the phrase is usually used figuratively.

Examples

• “Quite frankly, I was 28 years old when I worked on the Pill and the implication is always that I have twiddled my thumbs from age 28 to age 90.” (The Independent)
• Business was slack, and the salespeople were twiddling their thumbs
• ‘I have been sitting here for goodness knows how long twiddling my thumbs’
• What am I supposed to do while waiting for you? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?
• I'm just twiddling my thumbs here in the ER, waiting for someone to give me an update on Claire's condition.

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