"He is bone-idle." vs "He is a bone-idle."

Question

"He is bone-idle." vs "He is a bone-idle."

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'He is bone-idle.' is the more common and idiomatic way to express someone's laziness. 'He is a bone-idle.' could be used in a specific context where 'a' is needed before the adjective.

Last Updated: March 24, 2024

This phrase is used to describe someone who is extremely lazy or idle. It is an idiomatic expression.

Examples:

He is bone-idle and never helps with the chores.
She is bone-idle and spends all day watching TV.
The student is bone-idle and never studies for exams.
Don't be bone-idle; get up and do something productive.
His bone-idle attitude is affecting the team's performance.

Alternatives:

He is extremely lazy.
He is very idle.
He is incredibly lazy.
He is extremely idle.
He is a lazybones.

This phrase could be used when 'a' is needed before the adjective to specify a particular type of laziness. It is less common than 'he is bone-idle.'

Alternatives:

He is a very lazy person.
He is a particularly idle individual.
He is a truly lazy individual.
He is a completely idle person.
He is a lazybones.

Answer 1

He is bone-idle.

This phrase is correct and commonly used to describe someone as very lazy.

Answer 2

He is a bone-idle.

This phrase is correct but less common. It could be used in a specific context where 'a' is needed before the adjective.

"He is bone-idle." vs "He is a bone-idle."

He is bone-idle.

He is a bone-idle.

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