English Language & Usage Asked by Dennis M. on January 6, 2021
One might think of boondoggle/boondoggling but I’m looking for something a bit different: rather than trying to appear busy without actually being so, I’m trying to find a word or expression to describe the effort to be busy and appear to be busy for the sake of it, without that activity necessarily resulting in anything useful or meaningful. Showing off as hard working doing meaningless work, or being more concerned with being busy than being productive or helpful; doing useless work to appear hardworking, showing off work without adding to the bottom line etc.
Maybe this describes the ethos of many a corporate environment, especially in the aftermath of large companies sending their employees to work from home.
They may be "swinging the lead". The phrase probably derives from a past past technique of lowering a lead weight on a line from a ship to determine the depth of water. Some lazy sailors would do it slowly, badly or for too long so as to appear busy without actually doing very much.
Answered by Anton on January 6, 2021
the practice of doing less work than one is able to, while maintaining the appearance of working
It refers to a con of putting a layer of gold on a brick.
The person himself is a goldbricker as a consequence.
Answered by Mary on January 6, 2021
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