idle
adjective
not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing.
idling
-
present participleof idle.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Owner-operator Deol uses battery-powered electric air conditioning systems installed on both his trucks so he can turn off the engines and avoid idling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
His comments on the sidelines of G20 talks come as Russian and Ukrainian strikes targeting Black Sea ports have been wrecking and idling agricultural export capacity more quickly than trade flows can recover.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
The previous punishment for idling, as it is known, was £20 but that has now been raised to anywhere from £75 to £150, depending on circumstances.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
He preened, grabbed his oversized scissors and opened his mouth to boast, but no one could hear a single word over the deafening roar of Marine One’s idling engines.
From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026
When the 46th Guards were quietly idling their engines, maybe the cowering soldiers below imagined that the swooping wings sounded eerily like witch’s broomsticks soaring through the dark sky.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
