PhrasesHub

Bone idle

    Definitions

      • extreme laziness or lack of motivation
        To describe someone who is unwilling or unable to work or put effort into tasks or activities

      • completely inactive or idle
        To describe a situation or state where there is no activity or progress happening

    Examples of Bone idle

    • Sarah has been bone idle all week, she has hardly done a thing around the house.

      Here, Sarah has been extremely lazy and inactive over the past week, she hasn't shown much enthusiasm or effort in doing household chores.

    • Tom spent the entire day sitting on the couch, watching TV and doing nothing else. He was bone idle.

      In this example, Tom was completely unproductive and spent the day being utterly and completely lazy, doing nothing useful or valuable.

    • Mike went to the football match yesterday, but was bone idle throughout the game, only watching the action and not contributing to it in any way.

      Here, Mike was completely uninterested and uninvolved during the football match, doing nothing to contribute or assist his team in any way, shape or form.

    • The new employee seems to be bone idle, hardly working and not accomplishing much during the day.

      In this example, the new employee appears to be completely unproductive and unmotivated during working hours, failing to achieve much work or output despite being present in the office.

    • Charles has been bone idle all day, he's not done a thing!

      Charles has been extremely lazy and unproductive all day. He hasn't completed any tasks or chores.

    • My sister is bone idle and expects me to do everything for her.

      My sister is completely lazy and expects me to handle all tasks, chores, and responsibilities, without contributing anything herself.

    • I've been feeling bone idle lately, I just can't seem to find the energy or motivation to do anything.

      I've been experiencing a lack of energy and motivation lately. I just haven't been able to find the drive to complete tasks or tackle responsibilities.

    • The new intern has been bone idle and seems completely disinterested in the job.

      The new intern has been extremely lazy and appears uninterested in their job responsibilities. They haven't been contributing much to the team or the company.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "bone idle" is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or unmotivated. It can also refer to a state of complete inactivity or idleness. Both meanings convey a sense of negativity and lack of productivity.

    Origin of "Bone idle"

    The origin of the idiom "bone idle" is uncertain, but there are a few theories about its origin. One theory suggests that it comes from the phrase "bone and sinew," which implies working hard and using one's physical strength. "Bone idle" would then be the opposite of this, meaning someone who is not using their strength or working hard.

    Another theory suggests that it comes from the word "banal," meaning dull or uninteresting. Over time, this may have evolved into "bone idle" to describe someone who is not doing anything exciting or productive.

    Regardless of its origin, the use of "bone idle" has been documented since the 1800s and has remained a popular idiom in British English. It can also be used in American English, although it is not as commonly used as in British English.