idle

Not doing any work or other useful activity.

• The workers stood idle.
• I cannot sit idle while everyone else works.
• Several staff members remained idle all morning.

Similar words: inactive, unoccupied

Opposites: active, busy

Common phrases: idle workers, stand idle, remain idle, idle workmen

Not being used, or containing little or no activity.

• The factory has idle machines.
• She filled her idle hours with reading.
• Much of the available land remains idle.

Similar words: unused, unoccupied

Opposites: occupied

Common phrases: idle hours, idle machinery, idle time

If an engine does this, it runs slowly while the vehicle stays still.

• The engine idled quietly.
• Do not leave your car idling outside the school.
• Several trucks were idling in the car park.

Common phrases: idle at lights, idle in traffic, let something idle

To spend time doing very little or nothing useful.

• We idled by the river.
• He idled around the house all day.
• She was idling in the café when I arrived.

Similar words: loaf, laze

Opposites: work

Common phrases: idle around town, idle by something, idle in bed

To spend time without doing anything useful.

• They idled away several hours.
• She idled the afternoon away at a café.
• Do not idle away the whole weekend.

How to use it: idle away something (We idled away the morning beside the pool.)

Similar words: waste, while away

Common phrases: idle away time, idle away hours, idle the afternoon

The lowest power setting at which an engine keeps running.

• The engine runs smoothly at idle.
• A rough idle may suggest an engine problem.
• He reduced the throttle to idle.

Common phrases: at idle, rough idle, idle speed