| Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922. |
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| Class V. Words Releasing to the Voluntary Powers | | Division (I) Individual Volition | | Section III. Voluntary Action |
| 1. Simple Voluntary Action |
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| 681. Inaction. |
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| NOUN: | INACTION, passiveness, abstinence from action; watchful waiting; noninterference; Fabian -, laisser-aller [F.] -, laisser-faire [F.] -, conservative- policy; neglect [See Neglect].
INACTIVITY [See Inactivity]; stagnation, vegetation, loafing, loaf; rest (repose) [See Repose]; quiescence [See Quiescence]; want of occupation, unemployment, inoccupation; idle hours, idle hands, time hanging on one’s hands, dolce far niente [It.]; shore duty; interregnum; sinecure; soft snap, soft thing, cinch [all three slang].
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| VERB: | NOT DO, not act, not attempt; be inactive [See Inactivity]; abstain from doing, do nothing, hold, spare; not stir -, not move -, not lift- a -finger, - hand, - foot, - peg; fold one’s -arms, - hands; leave -, let- alone; let be, let pass, let things take their course, let it have its way, let well alone, let well enough alone; quieta non movere [L.]; stare super antiquas vias [L.]; rest and be thankful, live and let live; lie -, rest- upon one’s oars; laisser aller [F.], laisser faire [F.]; stand aloof; refrain (avoid) [See Avoidance]; keep oneself from doing; remit -, relax- one’s efforts; desist (relinquish) [See Relinquishment]; stop (cease) [See Cessation]; pause (be quiet) [See Quiescence].
WAIT, lie in wait, bide one’s time, take time, tide it over.
cool -, kick- one’s heels; while away the -time, - tedious hours; pass -, fill up -, beguile- the time; talk against time; waste time (inactive) [See Inactivity].
lie by, lie on the shelf, lie idle, lie to, lie fallow; keep quiet, slug [obs.]; have nothing to do, whistle for want of thought; twiddle one’s thumbs.
UNDO, do away with; take down, take to pieces; destroy [See Destruction].
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| ADJECTIVE: | NOT DOING &c. v.; not done &c. v.; undone; passive; unoccupied, unemployed; out of -employ, - work, - a job; uncultivated, fallow; désœuvré [F.].
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| ADVERB: | AT A STAND, re infectâ [L.], les bras croisés [F.], with folded arms; with the hands -in the pockets, - behind one’s back; pour passer le temps [F.].
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| INTERJECTION: | STOP! [See Cessation]; hands off! so let it be! enough! no more! bas! [Hind.]. |
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| QUOTATIONS: | - Cunctando restituit rem.
- Inaction is cowardice.—Emerson
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