Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of goof off English)
WordNet
n. the evasion of work or duty [syn: shirking, slacking, soldiering, goldbricking]
Wikipedia
Goofing off is a slang term in the United States for engaging in recreation or an idle pastime while obligations of work or society are neglected. Common obligations neglected in the course of goofing off include schoolwork, paid employment, social courtesies and the expectations of relations. Goofing off at school is considered to be a regular behaviour, which is engaged in by all students at one time or another.
When goofing off occurs within the classroom, teachers can resolve the matter quickly by direct confrontation. Employers may use wage premiums to discourage goofing off by their employees, although it is suggested that the effects of such incentives causes aging to have a negative effect upon earnings sooner than would be otherwise expected. Goofing off has been shown to improve work or study in the right environments, and can relieve stress. It may be a form of creativity and experimentation, providing useful learning experiences and discoveries.
Some research has indicated that women tend to feel more guilt than men about taking time for themselves and so use breaks to become more organized.
Perhaps the most famous example of goofing off is the tale reported by Suetonius of Nero fiddling while Rome burned.
Usage examples of "goofing off".
She was goofing off when she should have been on the job, and we both know it.
DON'T LET ME CATCH ANYBODY GOOFING OFF-I CAN STILL HAND OUT PUNISHMENT DETAIL!
No one seemed to understand that those workers valued time for goofing off more than money.
Was he recording her adventures the way she'd taught him yesterday afternoon, or was he goofing off?
The rescue squad's goofing off was going to give him at least five minutes he hadn't counted on.
Couple of years ago one of Turk's big deputies took a dislike to the way Dave was goofing off and making him do the work.
Then, we played a trivial joke on him, where for a few weeks, while we were giving those lectures, which was what he wanted us to do in the first place, we made him think that we were still goofing off.
Any man of his age who was not out goofing off was difficult to trust.
Corporal punishment was abolished here ages ago, but in many countries today, it is still considered perfectly acceptable for teachers to cane children for tardiness or giving a wrong answer (although this would so cut down on the level of goofing off at Adams Prep, we might actually learn something for a change).