shoot the breeze en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
A slang phrase, alluding to talking into the wind, and first recorded in 1919. In the variant, first recorded in 1908, the word bull is used instead of breeze, and means empty talk or lies.
Meanings
-
(US, idiomatic, slang) To chat idly or generally waste time talking.
Listen, I came here to do some business, not shoot the breeze. If you want to expound your personal philosophies, write another book.
1999, The Ninth Gate (motion picture), spoken by Dean Corso (Johnny Depp):We were just standing around shooting the breeze.
Oh, I've just been upstairs with your boss, shooting the breeze… shooting his fish.
1989, Lethal Weapon 2 (motion picture), spoken by Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shot the breeze | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| shot the breeze | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| shoots the breeze | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| shooting the breeze | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
shoot the shit · shoot the bull · talk about the weather · bat the breeze · chew the fat
Translations (24)
ja 駄弁る (to chat idly or waste time talking) · es darle a la sinhueso (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fr taper la discute (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fr taper la causette (to chat idly or waste time talking) · ru чеса́ть языко́м (to chat idly or waste time talking) · sv surra (to chat idly or waste time talking) · tr iki lafın belini kırmak (to chat idly or waste time talking) · de ein Schwätzchen halten (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fi rupatella (to chat idly or waste time talking) · ja 喋る (to chat idly or waste time talking) · pl gadać (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fr tailler le bout de gras (to chat idly or waste time talking) · nl babbelen (to chat idly or waste time talking) · nl kletsen (to chat idly or waste time talking) · it chiacchierare (to chat idly or waste time talking) · cy dal pen rheswm (to chat idly or waste time talking) · ca moure xerra (to chat idly or waste time talking) · ca parlotejar (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fr tailler une bavette (to chat idly or waste time talking) · sv tugga (to chat idly or waste time talking) · fi lörpötellä (to chat idly or waste time talking) · vi chém gió (to chat idly or waste time talking) · es pegar la hebra (to chat idly or waste time talking) · vi buôn dưa lê (to chat idly or waste time talking)