Idle
Adjective
UK
/ËaÉŞ.dl/
US
/ËaÉŞ.dl/
Level: Easy - A1 (Beginner)
Definition
Not active, working, or being used; doing nothing or lacking purpose.
Example
"Machines left idle for long periods may develop issues and require maintenance."
"Most people spend the entire afternoon idle, scrolling through their phone with no real focus."
"During the power outage, the entire factory remained idle for hours."
Explanation
“Idle” refers to being inactive or not doing anything useful. It might describe people who are not working, machines that are not operating, or time spent doing nothing meaningful. Being idle isnât always negativeâit can be restfulâbut prolonged idleness often implies laziness or waste of time. For example, an idle employee might not complete tasks, and an idle car is just parked, not being used.