tread water 

"to tread water" is an idiom, that means doing something/being active without making any progress.

That new call of duty game has no real engine or graphics improvements, all the devs did was tread water >.<

tread water by weavile22 April 21, 2011

Tread water 

"to tread water" is an idiom, that means: To put a lot of time and effort into something, but not get much of a result, or get a better result that you might have been getting previously.

Guy 1 : "Man, all day I've been sitting here thinking, all I do is tread water lately.... "
Guy 2: " Why's that? "
Guy 1: " I don't know, maybe I haven't been pushing myself hard enough lately. Maybe I need to go back to my roots, and just grind like I used to. "

Tread water by FrAnK SiXeR August 4, 2019

tread water 

Telling somebody to go away. Also said to unimportant people in your life when they try to talk to you. Or how you feel when you feel that you can't move forward.

guy1: Why haven't got a new girl friend
guy2: because I can 't move on
Guy1: she was 5years ago...
guy2: I know
Guy1: Ugh, you love to tread water

tread water by R.A Tommy July 4, 2009