go through the motions

Meaning: (idiomatic)To do something in amechanical,unreflectivemanner, especially as a matter ofroutineand withoutcommitmentorenthusiasm; toperformataskperfunctorily.1905,Mark Twain, chapter 3, inThe $30,000 Bequest:Aleck was a Christian from the cradle, and duty and the force of habit required her togo through the motions.1919,L[ucy] M[aud] Montgomery, chapter 15, inRainbow Valley, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.:Frederick A[bbott] Stokes Company,→OCLC:Theywent through the motionsof living, but they didn't live.2003July 8, Jason Zweig,Benjamin Graham, “Get Rich Slowly: How to Pick a Financial Adviser”, inTime:In screening an adviser, these should be your goals:—To determine whether he or she cares about helping clients or justgoes through the motions[…]2005June 12, Michael Kinsley, “No Smoking Gun”, inWashington Post‎[1]:The whole "weapons of mass destruction" concern was phony from the start, and the drama about inspections was just kabuki:going through the motions.

Examples:

EN: Well, they go through the motions.
ES: Bueno, eso pretenden.
EN: We'll go through the motions.
ES: - Ensayaremos las formalidades.
EN: You go through the motions, yes. But it's not really you.
ES: Seguimos el juego, pero no somos nosotros mismos.
EN: Just go through the motions. I'll take care of it.
ES: Haz los movimientos, yo me encargaré del resto.
EN: All I mean is you go through the motions of the wedding while Spike takes pictures.
ES: Todo lo que quiero es que lleves a cabo un ademán de boda mientras Spike saca unas fotos.
EN: But you'll just go through the motions till we're ready to open the club.
ES: Tendrás que pasar las formalidades hasta que estemos listos para abrir el club.
EN: - Well, you know, go through the motions.
ES: - Ya sabes, seguirá el procedimiento.
EN: You go through the motions of guarding her, until the accident occurs.
ES: Haga como que la vigila hasta que ocurra el accidente.
EN: Just, just go through the motions, eh.
ES: Sólo simula que lo lanzas.
EN: I could lie to you, Fats, let you take me off the hook... take your 10 grand, go through the motions with your girl.
ES: Podría mentirte, Gordo, dejar que me saques del apuro... Toma tus 10 mil dólares y sigue los movimientos con tu chica.
EN: And I was paid $25 to go through the motions.
ES: ...y se me pagaron 25 dólares para realizar las mociones.
EN: I mean, you know with me you never haev to go through the motions.
ES: Sabes que conmigo no tendrás que cumplir las formalidades.
EN: In the meantime, we'll go through the motions of putting the job out to tender.
ES: Mientras, haremos los trámites para realizar el trabajo.
EN: The last vestiges of my professionnal pride. made me go through the motions.
ES: Los últimos vestigios de mi orgullo profesional impulsaban mis movimientos.
EN: -No, you go through the motions.
ES: - Sí, la conocerá.

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