watch paint dry

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

watch paint dry (third-person singular simple present watches paint dry, present participle watching paint dry, simple past and past participle watched paint dry)

1. (humorous) To watch something that has virtually no movement, hence, something very boring.

   Synonym: watch grass grow

   I expected his new play to be as good as the last, but it was like watching paint dry.

   • 2012, Sarah Mlynowski, Fishbowl‎^[1], Harlequin, →ISBN:

     I click on it. And wait. And wait. And wait. Why does it take so long? It's so slow. This is worse than watching paint dry. Not that I've actually ever watched paint dry. Or even painted.

   • 2015, Kate McGovern, Rules for 50/50 Chances, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 224:

     “I am starving, that is true. But I'd never get bored. I could watch paint dry with you and I wouldn't get bored.” “You could watch paint dry with me? That sounds delightful,” I say.

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: tuijottaa seinää
• Polish: nudzić się impf
• Spanish: mirar las musarañas (es)