lazy
lazy — adjective
1. describes someone who does not want to put effort into activities that need to b
describes someone who does not want to put effort into activities that need to be done — for example, a student who avoids homework or a worker who does the minimum possible.
Bao's teacher described him as a lazy student who never completed his assignments.
predicative: be + lazy (describing a person)
Imani's lazy approach to the group project frustrated everyone on her team.
attributive: lazy + noun (lazy approach)
The neighbour's cat is so lazy that it barely moves when you walk past it.
Selim felt too lazy to cook dinner, so he ordered takeout instead.
It was lazy of Christopher to leave the empty boxes scattered across the kitchen floor.
- hardworking
shows consistent and serious effort
- industrious
formal; habitually working with energy and dedication
- diligent
careful and persistent in carrying out tasks
文法句型
be + lazy
lazy + noun (student, worker, attitude)
too lazy to + infinitive
it is lazy of + noun + to-infinitive
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the construction 'too lazy to + infinitive' (e.g., too lazy to clean). The impersonal pattern 'it is lazy of [someone] to…' carries mild disapproval. Distinguish from sense 2 (SLOW AND RELAXED), which describes a pace or atmosphere, not a person's character.
常見錯誤
2. describes a period of time, a movement, or a pace that is unhurried and gentle,
describes a period of time, a movement, or a pace that is unhurried and gentle, with no sense of pressure — for example, a quiet Sunday afternoon spent reading, or a river that flows slowly through a valley.
We spent a lazy Sunday reading books and drinking tea in the garden.
attributive: lazy + time noun (lazy Sunday)
The stream moved at a lazy pace through the meadow behind Evelyn's house.
attributive: lazy + movement noun (lazy pace)
Élise enjoyed a lazy breakfast on the balcony before heading to the office.
The hot summer afternoon made everyone feel lazy, so the hike was cancelled.
Hiro took a lazy walk along the riverbank, stopping to watch the ducks.
文法句型
lazy + time noun (lazy Sunday, lazy afternoon)
lazy + movement noun (lazy walk, lazy pace)
feel + lazy
lazy + river / stream / breeze
用法筆記
Often used with time-related nouns (Sunday, afternoon, morning, summer) to describe unhurried, pleasant periods. Also common with nouns of movement (pace, walk, river, stream). This sense carries no disapproval — it is neutral or positive. Do not use it to describe a person's character; use sense 1 for that.
常見錯誤
lazy — verb
1. to spend time relaxing or moving in a slow, unhurried way, usually lying down or
to spend time relaxing or moving in a slow, unhurried way, usually lying down or sitting still — for example, lying by a swimming pool on holiday, or staying on the sofa all afternoon without doing anything active.
Eshe spent the whole morning lazily flipping through fashion magazines on the sofa.
adverbial: lazily + verb of action
On the last day of their trip, they lazed by the hotel pool until lunch.
laze by + place
The old dog lazed in a patch of sunlight on the wooden porch.
Instead of cleaning the garage, Sora lazed around the house watching old films.
Allison lazed on the sofa with a cup of tea and a mystery novel.
文法句型
laze + adverbial (laze by the pool)
laze around + noun (laze around the house)
laze away + time noun (laze away the afternoon)
用法筆記
Almost always takes a location or time adverbial (by the pool, in the sun, around the house). Intransitive — cannot take a direct object. The pattern 'laze away + time' (e.g., laze away the afternoon) is also common. Less formal than 'relax' or 'unwind'.