assle

English

Alternative forms

• arsle

Etymology

From ass +‎ -le (frequentative suffix). Compare Dutch aarzelen (“to hesitate; waver”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æsəl

Verb

assle (third-person singular simple present assles, present participle assling, simple past and past participle assled)

1. (intransitive) To sit, move, or scoot about on one's ass; loaf; wander idly around; waste time.
   • 1951, Constance Noyes Robertson, The Golden Circle:

     "May all her public servants arsle around like buss-eyed catawumpuses ! That's what I say. Just like they'll do tomorrow, while we set here and laugh at 'em."

   • 1969, Kentucky Folklore Society, Kentucky folklore record:

     You're always assling around.

   • 1992, Vance Randolph, G. Legman, Blow the Candle Out:

     "Them boys don't do no work, they just assle around town all day."

   • 2009, Nicoline Van Der Sijs, Cookies, Coleslaw, and Stoops:

     He doesn't have anything to do so he's just assling around […]

   • 2010, Julian D. Hayden, Bill Broyles, Diane E. Boyer, Field man: life as a desert archaeologist:

     I assled over into a packrat nest without thinking, so the next scene on that damn camera recorder was me leaning over while the ladies in the party pulled cholla out of my tight Levis. I took that with great dignity and aplomb, I assure you.

Usage notes

• Often used with around.

Anagrams

• ALSes, lases, sales, SEALs, seals, salse, Seals, Sales, Elsas, LSASE