Chapter Words Relating to the Voluntary Powers of Index by Roget's Thesaurus

(Phrases). The thick of the action; in medias res; too many cooks; new brooms; too many irons in the fire; a slaying of the slain.

(Verbs). To be active, busy, stirring, etc., to busy oneself in, stir, bestir oneself, bustle, fuss, make a fuss, speed, hasten, push, make a push, go ahead, hustle; to industrialise.

To plod, drudge, keep on, hold on, persist, fag at, hammer at, stick to, buckle to, stick to work, take pains; to take or spend time in; to make progress.

(Phrases). To look sharp; to lay about one; to have one's hands full; to kick up a dust; to stir one's stumps; to exert one's energies; to put one's best leg foremost; to do one's best; to do all one can; to leave no stone unturned; to have all one's eyes about one; make the best of one's time; to make short work of; to seize the opportunity; to come up to the scratch; to take time by the forelock; to make hay while the sun shines; to keep the pot boiling; to strike the iron while it is hot; to take advantage of; to kill two birds with one stone; to move heaven and earth; to go through fire and water; to do wonders; to go all lengths; to stick at nothing; to go the whole hog; to keep the ball rolling; to put one's back into it; to make things hum, see 684.

To meddle, moil, intermeddle, interfere, interpose, tamper with, fool with, get at, nobble, agitate, intrigue.

To overact, overdo, overlay, outdo, ride to death.

(Phrases). To have a hand in; to thrust one's nose in; to put in one's oar; to put one's foot in it; to mix oneself up with; steal a march upon.

(Adjectives). Active, brisk, quick, prompt, alert, on the alert, stirring, spry, sharp, smart, quick, nimble, agile, light-footed, tripping, ready, awake, broad awake, wide awake, alive, at call, lively, live, vivacious, frisky, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, pushing, pushful, spirited, in earnest, up in arms, go-ahead.

Working, on duty, at work, hard at work, intent, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, business-like, practical, in harness, operose, plodding, toiling, hard-working, fagging, busy, bustling, restless, fussy, fidgety, pottering, dabbling; industrial.

Persevering, indefatigable, untiring, unflagging, unremitting, unwearied, never-tiring, undrooping, unintermitting, unintermittent, unflinching, unsleeping, unslumbering, sleepless, persistent.

Meddling, meddlesome, peddling, pushing, intermeddling, tampering, etc., officious, over-officious, intriguing, managing.

(Phrases). Up and doing; up and stirring; busy as a bee; brisk as a bee; on the qui vive; nimble as a squirrel; the fingers itching; nulla dies sine linea; a rolling stone gathers no moss; the used key is always bright; nec mora nec requies.

(Adverbs). Actively, etc., see 684.

(Interjections). Look alive! get a move on!

680. Inactivity (Substantives), inaction, idleness, sloth, laziness, indolence, inertness, lumpishness, supineness, sluggishness, languor, torpor, stagnation, lentor, limpness, listlessness, remissness, slackness.

Dilatoriness, cunctation, procrastination 133, relaxation, truancy, lagging, dawdling, rust, rustiness, want of occupation, resourcelessness. Somnolence, drowsiness, doziness, nodding, oscitation, sleepiness, hypnosis.

Hypnology.