Idle
'aɪdəl
Definitions
2 meaningsNot active or in use; doing nothing; not employed or occupied.
'aɪdəl
Not active or in use
The factory was idle due to the strike.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're on a long car ride and the car stops at a rest stop. If the engine is still running, but the car is parked, that's idle. It's not doing anything useful right now.
👶 For kids: When something is idle, it means it's not doing anything. Like when you're just sitting and not playing.
More Examples
He spent an idle afternoon reading a book.
The computer sat idle while I went to make coffee.
How It's Used
"An idle mind is the devil's workshop."
"The machinery stood idle due to a power outage."
To spend time doing nothing; to pass time in a relaxed or lazy way.
'aɪdəl
To spend time doing nothing
The workers idled in the break room until the meeting started.
💡 Simply: Imagine you have a free day, and instead of doing anything, you decide to just relax, watch TV, or think. That's idling - you're just taking it easy.
👶 For kids: When you idle, it's like when you have nothing to do, so you just hang out and play with your toys or rest.
More Examples
They idled the time away, waiting for the concert to begin.
The boat idled in the harbor.
How It's Used
"He idled away the afternoon watching television."
"The engine idled smoothly at low RPMs."
Idioms & expressions
idle hands
People who are not busy or employed will often find themselves getting into trouble.
"His parents warned him that idle hands are the devil's workshop."
From Old English *īdel* ('empty, useless'), from Proto-Germanic *īdalaz*, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eydʰ- ('empty, clear').
The word has been used since Old English times to denote emptiness or lack of activity. It was commonly found in religious and moral writings emphasizing the need for work and discipline.