Is the phrasal verb "fritter away" uncommon ?
Is the phrasal verb "fritter away" uncommon ?

I have heard the phrasal verb "fritter away" in a Aimee Mann's song "Momentum".

I asked two English teachers about the phrasal verb "fritter away".
One is from Texas and the other is from Canada.
Both of them said "I've never heard of it"

I'd like to here your personal opinion.

Question

Is the phrasal verb "fritter away" uncommon ?
Is the phrasal verb "fritter away" uncommon ?

I have heard the phrasal verb "fritter away" in a Aimee Mann's song "Momentum".

I asked two English teachers about the phrasal verb "fritter away".
One is from Texas and the other is from Canada.
Both of them said "I've never heard of it"

I'd like to here your personal opinion.

Answer

Very common, at least for someone of my age (52) in the US.

Answer

I don't know what kind of teachers you have.

Don't fritter your time away on trifle matters.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fritter-away-something

Answer

It's definitely a legitimate phrase, but it's not commonly used. Maybe a bit archaic.

Answer

I'm guessing that the answer to Jeff's implied question is 'ones who aren't very aware of the English language' (also probably fairly young) !  Admittedly, it's not a phrase which 20-year-olds too often, but it is certainly a legitimate phrase in standard informal English.  It's widely used throughout the English-speaking world.

You might want to think about finding some new teachers.

Answers · 8

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