passive waiting
[ˈpæsɪv ˈweɪtɪŋ]
noun
espera passiva
1. The act of waiting without taking any active steps or initiative to change a situation; remaining idle or inactive while awaiting an outcome
He engaged in passive waiting instead of actively seeking new job opportunities.
Ele se envolveu em espera passiva em vez de buscar ativamente novas oportunidades de emprego.
2. A state of inaction characterized by hope or expectation that something will happen without personal effort or intervention
Passive waiting will not solve the problem; you need to take action.
A espera passiva não resolverá o problema; você precisa tomar uma atitude.
In both Brazilian and American contexts, passive waiting is often viewed negatively in professional and entrepreneurial settings, where active initiative and proactivity are valued. The phrase reflects a cultural emphasis on 'doing' rather than 'waiting,' particularly in competitive work environments. In Portuguese, similar disapproval is expressed through idioms like 'estar de braços cruzados' (having your arms crossed), which suggests laziness or helplessness.
NYC Slang
twiddling your thumbs / sitting on the sidelines
Related Idioms & Phrases
waiting for the other shoe to drop
sitting on your hands
twiddling your thumbs
estar de braços cruzados (Portuguese)
esperar sentado (Portuguese - to wait doing nothing)
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →