loafer

/ˈloʊfər/

/ˈlʌʊfə/

Other forms: loafers

If you're a loafer, you avoid working whenever possible, preferring to lounge around relaxing instead. And, if you're too lazy to tie your own shoes, you may prefer to wear loafers — slip-on shoes without laces.

If you're a loafer at work, your co-workers will grow to resent you for doing nothing while they do their jobs. Loafers like to loaf, or "spend time in an idle, aimless way." People will call you a loafer if you spend most of your time in a reclining position, take frequent breaks for snacks and naps, or obviously avoid anything resembling hard work. This noun has been in use since the mid-1800s, but its origin isn't clear. The shoe called a loafer got its name because it's easily slipped on, without the work of laces and knots.

Definitions of loafer

1. noun

   person who does no work
   synonyms: bum, do-nothing, idler, layabout

   types:

   clock watcher

   a worker preoccupied with the arrival of quitting time

   couch potato

   an idler who spends much time on a couch (usually watching television)

   dallier, dilly-dallier, dillydallier, lounger, mope

   someone who wastes time

   dawdler, drone, laggard, lagger, poke, trailer

   someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind

   daydreamer, woolgatherer

   someone who indulges in idle or absentminded daydreaming

   goldbrick, good-for-naught, good-for-nothing, goof-off, ne'er-do-well, no-account

   an idle worthless person

   lazybones

   a lazy person

   lie-abed, slugabed

   a person who stays in bed until a relatively late hour

   loon

   a worthless lazy fellow

   shirker, slacker

   a person who shirks his work or duty (especially one who tries to evade military service in wartime)

   slug, sluggard

   an idle slothful person

   spiv

   a person without employment who makes money by various dubious schemes; goes about smartly dressed and having a good time

   sunbather

   someone who basks in the sunshine in order to get a suntan

   trifler

   one who behaves lightly or not seriously

   whittler

   someone who whittles (usually as an idle pastime)

   drone

   an idler who lives off of the work of other people

   lotus-eater, stargazer

   someone indifferent to the busy world

   dreamer, escapist, wishful thinker

   a person who escapes into a world of fantasy

   goldbrick

   a soldier who performs his duties without proper care or effort

   lingerer, loiterer

   someone who lingers aimlessly in or about a place

   malingerer, shammer, skulker

   someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity

   plodder, slowcoach, slowpoke, stick-in-the-mud

   someone who moves slowly

   potterer, putterer

   a person who putters about

   scrimshanker

   a shirker

   straggler, strayer

   someone who strays or falls behind

   type of:

   nonworker

   a person who does nothing
2. noun

   a low leather shoe with no laces
   type of:

   shoe

   footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material