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idle2
1
[intransitive]TT if an engine idles, it runs slowly while the vehicle, machine etc is not moving :
He flicked a switch and let the boat idle.
[intransitive]TT
He flicked a switch and let the boat idle.2 [intransitive] to spend time doing nothing :
Sometimes he went for a walk; sometimes he just idled.
Sometimes he went for a walk; sometimes he just idled.3 [transitive] American English to stop using a factory or stop providing work for your workers, especially temporarily [= shut down]:
The company has indefinitely idled a number of its US plants.
The company has indefinitely idled a number of its US plants.idle something ↔ away
phrasal verb
They idled their time away in the pub.