The English language is peppered with phrases we don’t really think twice about, but which are slightly peculiar on reflection. Nautical terms in regular use.
“At a loose end”
When sailors would run out of tasks on board, in order to prevent them from becoming idle the captain might have asked them to check the ends of ropes and make sure none of them had started to unravel. Nowadays, you might find yourself at a loose end if you’ve run out of things to do or are unsure of what to do next.
Written by Lindsey