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gathering dust

IdiomLevel B2

If something is gathering dust, nobody uses it any more.

My old guitar has been gathering dust in the closet for years.

'Gathering dust' describes something that sits unused for a long time. Use it with objects: a bike, a guitar, a gym card.

Comic strip. Mei: Diego, why is your bike under a blanket? Diego: I wanted to keep it clean because it was just gathering dust! Mei: Diego, what does 'gathering dust' mean? Steventeacher: It means nobody uses it. The dust is an image, not a task. Diego: My gym bag is gathering dust too. Let's go running!
Steventeacher explains “gathering dust”.
Your turn
What is gathering dust in your home right now?

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