Spend/Waste/Lose time doing something (2024)

Li'l Bull

Senior Member

Spanish (Spain)

  • Feb 16, 2014
  • #1

Hi, native speakers of English!

The difference between spend/waste/lose time is not always that clear. I've read other posts but it seems to me it's very context-dependent. How would you fill in the gap in the following case?:

She doesn't have much free time, so she's taken on an assistant to do the shopping for her. That way she doesn't _____ time going shopping.

A. waste her
B. lose
C. have to spend

I would say A is not suitable because going shopping is not a waste of time (you actually do something productive, namely buying food and contributing to your survival). B might work, but there's that sense that with "lose time" it doesn't depend on you (e.g. I lost a lot of time because my flight was delayed) - I don't like it somehow. Probably I'd use C as it sounds kind of neutral and by a process of elimination.

But I'm fully aware I may be wrong

What do you think?

Thank you in advance.

  • F

    fires

    Member

    US (Michigan)

    American English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #2

    I find your interpretation to be solid, but I wouldn't say that A and B would never be used. Some people may view shopping as a waste of time, making A make sense, especially since it doesn't specify what type of shopping she would have been doing. It can also be taken in the sense that she has to shop (in order to survive), and it's not dependent on whether she wants to shop or not, allowing B to make sense. In the end, though, I would go with what you said.

    Li'l Bull

    Senior Member

    Spanish (Spain)

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #3

    fires said:

    I find your interpretation to be solid, but I wouldn't say that A and B would never be used. Some people may view shopping as a waste of time, making A make sense, especially since it doesn't specify what type of shopping she would have been doing. It can also be taken in the sense that she has to shop (in order to survive), and it's not dependent on whether she wants to shop or not, allowing B to make sense. In the end, though, I would go with what you said.

    Thank you, fires.

    I can't quite follow your argumentation for "B. lose" - Can you please elaborate?

    S

    slej

    Senior Member

    Ireland / England English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #4

    It depends on how she views shopping. Personally I spend, waste, use, lose time in that order. I don't use 'lose time' very much, maybe in a traffic jam or if I'm timing myself doing a certain task, to get my fastest time.

    perpend

    Banned

    American English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #5

    I agree with fires, and agree that C) is the way to go.

    A little trick: add an "ex-" and lose the "s" in spend.

    That way she doesn't expend time going shopping.

    That's fairly neutral, but expresses a little bit of the effort, in my opinion.

    F

    fires

    Member

    US (Michigan)

    American English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #7

    Li'l Bull said:

    Thank you, fires.

    I can't quite follow your argumentation for "B. lose" - Can you please elaborate?

    I meant that the speaker may view it as something that she has to do, as she needs to get food and other necessities. If she doesn't, she won't be able to live, and she may view this type of activity as a loss of time. Does this help? Overall, though, B is probably the worst choice.
    The point I was trying to make was that it depend on how the speaker views the shopping. This doesn't mean that they wouldn't use a different verb than the one that fits best, though.

    S

    slej

    Senior Member

    Ireland / England English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #8

    I have never expended time in my life but that could be a cultural thing. To lose time you need another pressure that is such a priority that it makes other tasks inconsequential, or you're a marathon runner/athelete who fails to best their previous time. Losing time gives a real sense of urgency to me, without that urgency I am wasting time. If I was stuck in a traffic jam going to work that would be a waste of time. If I was stuck in a traffic jam when I was supposed to be collecting my kid I would be anxious and losing time.

    perpend

    Banned

    American English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #9

    I've reread, and it's all quite relative. I would use all three versions, depending on context/emphasis. Is it a test question?

    Li'l Bull

    Senior Member

    Spanish (Spain)

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #10

    perpend said:

    I've reread, and it's all quite relative. I would use all three versions, depending on context/emphasis. Is it a test question?

    No, it isn't. I've presented it as a multiple choice question just to check my alternatives with you.

    I'm sure it's my fault, but so far I've failed to see how "lose" could be used in my sentence (I do understand "spend" because, as I said, that's the one that makes most sense to me, and I think I also understand "waste": it might be used if the woman regarded going shopping as an actual waste of time).

    perpend

    Banned

    American English

    • Feb 16, 2014
    • #11

    Well, there's the saying that "time is money".

    "Lost time" could be lost money.

    If you are busy, and have an assistant, that means you don't want to lose time, because time is valuable.

    So, "lose" makes total sense to me.

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    Spend/Waste/Lose time doing something (2024)

    FAQs

    How do you explain waste of time? ›

    If you waste something such as time, money, or energy, you use too much of it doing something that is not important or necessary, or is unlikely to succeed.

    What is to lose or waste time? ›

    If you "lose time" it means that something or someone is stopping you from working on your main task. For example, "I lost a lot of office time this morning because my car wasn't working". If you "waste time" it means that you are *choosing* to use your time badly, spending it on an activity which is not useful.

    What is the best thing to do to waste time? ›

    Scroll through social media. If you're bored, why not see what other people are doing? Social media is considered a top time-waster since you can endlessly look back on what other people have posted about. Maybe other people posting will inspire you to go out and do what they've done!

    How do you feel about the time that is wasted? ›

    I don't feel as if I have wasted any time. I get very sad when I think of how time has gone by so fast. I also spend time thinking about the past and wishing I could go back and change the mistakes and bad decisions I made.

    What is a waste of time example? ›

    For example, watching TV all day seems like a waste of time when you could be using your time to do some thing better like going out for a walk or spending time with friends or family.

    What is a better way to say waste of time? ›

    waste time (verb as in idle away time) Weak matches. burn daylight dally dawdle delay dillydally fiddle about fritter away time goof off kill time linger loiter lollygag lose time pass the time piddle procrastinate shilly-shally take one's own sweet time take one's time tarry while away the time.

    What does time lose mean? ›

    Definition of 'lose time'

    1. to go too slow. said of a timepiece. 2. to let time go by without advancing one's objective.

    Which activity is a waste of time? ›

    These time-wasting activities can range from scrolling through social media, watching endless hours of television, playing video games, or even engaging in mindless internet browsing.

    What does waste no time doing something mean? ›

    to start doing something immediately: Caroline wasted no time in tackling her new responsibilities. Starting and beginning. be in the first flush of idiom.

    Is it ever OK to waste time? ›

    Wasting time is wasting time, but it's more purposeful than to chalk it up to being unproductive. Wasting time is about de-cluttering and recharging yourself. It's an opportunity to re-focus and perform much better than if you were “always hustling”. Even binge-watching can be incredibly helpful.

    What wastes time the most? ›

    10 Biggest Time Wasters and Strategies to Overcome Them
    • Unnecessary Meetings. Meetings are often seen as a necessary evil in the workplace. ...
    • Social Media. ...
    • Procrastination. ...
    • Perfectionism. ...
    • Multitasking. ...
    • Lack of Organization and Planning. ...
    • Not Knowing When to Say 'No' ...
    • Using Outdated Technology and Equipment.
    May 19, 2022

    What are three ways to waste your time? ›

    25 ways you're wasting time on a daily basis:
    • Watching too much tv. ...
    • Eating junk food. ...
    • Answering your phone when you're in the middle of something. ...
    • Being addicted to social media. ...
    • Checking your email constantly. ...
    • Failing to put things back where they belong. ...
    • Emailing someone back and forth. ...
    • Not having a schedule in place.

    How to stop regretting wasted years? ›

    Practice gratitude for the good things that are in your life. Reflect on the time you feel you've wasted and consider the positive things that have come out of that time. To accept your past and move forward, get out of your comfort zone by trying a new hobby, taking a class, or making a career change.

    Why do I waste so much time? ›

    There are so many reasons that cause people to waste time, even when they know what they should be doing. However, the chief of them all is the lack of motivation. The absence of motivation can be disastrous. Motivation is what drives you to continue to strive for the things you want.

    What are two ways in which time can be wasted? ›

    There are many things that people waste their time on every day. Here are some common examples: Social media: Spending excessive amounts of time scrolling through social media feeds, checking notifications and messages. Procrastination: Putting off important tasks and delaying work that needs to be done.

    What does to waste or lose mean? ›

    : to spend carelessly or uselessly : squander. 4. : to lose or cause to lose weight, strength, or energy. illness caused her to waste away.

    What is the meaning of waste and loss? ›

    Waste can take many forms, including excess inventory, unnecessary steps in a process, and unused materials or resources. On the other hand, loss refers to a decrease in value or a decrease in the amount of something.

    Is it lose time or loose time? ›

    'Lose' or 'Loose'?

    Lose typically functions only as a verb, with meanings related to failing to win or hold onto something; one might “lose a game” or “lose one's temper.” Loose can be used as an adjective ("not securely attached"), a verb ("to free something or someone"), and less commonly, a noun or adverb.

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