flapping in the wind

[dilermando]

From Newsweek, International Edition

Consider the sentence below.

For Brazil it could be the difference between finally taking off and merely flapping in the wind.

Question 1) What does "flapping in the wind" mean in this context?

Question 2) In general, what does the expression above mean?

Question 3) May I use it in a sentence like that 'Dale is flapping in the wind?'

[Anglika]

From Newsweek, International Edition

Consider the sentence below.

For Brazil it could be the difference between finally taking off and merely flapping in the wind.

Question 1) What does "flapping in the wind" mean in this context?

Question 2) In general, what does the expression above mean?

Question 3) May I use it in a sentence like that 'Dale is flapping in the wind?'

#


#1 The sentence is suggesting that Brazil could, with the assistance of "it", be able to do something positive rather than just stagnate.

#2 "flapping in the wind" = not getting anywhere - unfocused action.

#3 Yes, if what you mean is that Dale is being singularly hopeless about deciding to do something.

[BobK]

From Newsweek, International Edition

Consider the sentence below.

For Brazil it could be the difference between finally taking off and merely flapping in the wind.

...

Think of a kite. When someone's trying to launch it, gusts of wind may make it flap around uncontrollably. The person holding the string will run backwards and forwards and from side to side, jerking his arms about, trying to catch the wind - lots of energy expended, lots of movement, but nothing worth watching; the kite is just flapping in the wind. But when there's a steady wind, it finally takes off.

So there's lots of activity in Brazil, but it's unfocused until this "it" comes along, as Anglika says.

b