英语词汇at loose ends的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

at loose ends. There are at least two good explanations for this expression meaning “not knowing what to do with one- self,” or to be unemployed. The saying dates back to the middle of the 19th century in England and was originally to be at loose end. One theory connects it with a string hanging loose from a garment, the end of it attached to nothing. But Weekley in his Etymological Dictionary of Modern English says the phrase sug- gests “freedom from tether,” like a horse out to pasture, out of harness, untied and unemployed.

词汇	at loose ends
词源	at loose ends. There are at least two good explanations for this expression meaning “not knowing what to do with one- self,” or to be unemployed. The saying dates back to the middle of the 19th century in England and was originally to be at loose end. One theory connects it with a string hanging loose from a garment, the end of it attached to nothing. But Weekley in his Etymological Dictionary of Modern English says the phrase sug- gests “freedom from tether,” like a horse out to pasture, out of harness, untied and unemployed.
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