at a loose end British English

 at a loose end

Meaning: If you're at a loose end, you have nothing to do.

For example:

• If I'm ever at a loose end, I look for a good book to read.
  
• Give me a call if you're at a loose end and we'll go and do something.
  

Note: This is similar to the American idiom "at loose ends", though the American idiom seems to indicate a state of unhappy restlessness that results from having nothing to do, while the British idiom simply means having nothing to do.

Variety: This idiom is typically used in British English but may be used in other varieties of English too.