When something is idle, it is not being used or is not working. It means to do no work or have no activity.
The machine is idle right now.
She sat idle during the meeting.
To idle means to spend time without doing anything useful. It can mean resting or being lazy.
He idled all afternoon at home.
They idled by the river for hours.
When an engine idles, it runs but does not move or do work. It stays on without producing power.
The car engine idled at the stoplight.
The motorcycle idled before the race.
Idle can describe things said or done that have no real effect or meaning. They are empty or without purpose.
It was an idle threat, not true.
His idle words caused no harm.
Idle can mean a person has no job or is not working, often because work is not available.
Many workers were idle after the strike.
He has been idle for several months.
Idle in technology means a machine or program is on but not being used. It waits for the user or task.
The computer goes idle after ten minutes.
The screen turned idle to save power.
Idle describes something not active or working for a period of time. It means temporarily stopped or still.
The factory remained idle during winter.
The project is idle for now.
