futz

[ fuhts ]

verb (used without object)

1. to pass time in idleness (usually followed by around ).

noun

1. a fool; simpleton.

verb phrase

1. to handle or deal with, especially idly, reluctantly, or as a time-consuming task:

   I spent all day futzing with those file folders.

Word History and Origins

Origin of futz¹

First recorded in 1905–10; apparently a euphemism for fuck;

Example Sentences

To help make sense of this barrage of data, FiveThirtyEight recently debuted a tool that it calls the Swing-o-Matic, which allows you to futz around with candidate support and turnout rates for a variety of demographic subgroups that pollsters believe are crucial to party coalitions.

From Slate

Yes, we hate it, yes we love it, and yes, as is our habit, we let time mosey on by as we futz around over what to do.

From Los Angeles Times

Once again, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride have taken it upon themselves to futz with a 1970s horror classic at the behest of horror über-producer Jason Blum.

From Los Angeles Times

It was incredibly hot to wear silicone, so there wasn’t as much time to futz around.

From New York Times

She no longer had to constantly futz with the pots and pans either, seeking the perfect heat over a gas burner, because with induction, “you can cook something really slowly without worrying that it’s going to burn or that it’s going to turn off.”

From Washington Post