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View synonyms for idle

idle

[ ahyd-l ]

adjective

, i·dler, i·dlest.
  1. not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing:

    idle workers.

    Synonyms: sluggish

    Antonyms: industrious, busy

  2. not spent or filled with activity:

    idle hours.

  3. not in use or operation; not kept busy:

    idle machinery.

  4. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy.
  5. of no real worth, importance, or significance:

    idle talk.

    Synonyms: trifling, trivial, worthless

    Antonyms: worthwhile, important

  6. having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless:

    idle fears.

  7. frivolous; vain:

    idle pleasures.

    Synonyms: wasteful

  8. meaningless; senseless:

    idle threats.

  9. futile; unavailing:

    idle rage.



verb (used without object)

, i·dled, i·dling.
  1. to pass time doing nothing.
  2. to move, loiter, or saunter aimlessly:

    to idle along the avenue.

  3. (of a machine, engine, or mechanism) to operate at a low speed, disengaged from the load.

verb (used with object)

, i·dled, i·dling.
  1. to pass (time) doing nothing (often followed by away ):

    to idle away the afternoon.

    Synonyms: waste

  2. to cause (a person) to be idle:

    The strike idled many workers.

  3. to cause (a machine, engine, or mechanism) to idle:

    I waited in the car while idling the engine.

noun

  1. the state or quality of being idle.
  2. the state of a machine, engine, or mechanism that is idling:

    a cold engine that stalls at idle.

idle

/ ˈaɪdəl /

adjective

  1. unemployed or unoccupied; inactive
  2. not operating or being used
  3. (of money) not being used to earn interest or dividends
  4. not wanting to work; lazy
  5. usually prenominal frivolous or trivial

    idle pleasures

  6. ineffective or powerless; fruitless; vain
  7. without basis; unfounded
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. whentr, often foll by away to waste or pass (time) fruitlessly or inactively

    he idled the hours away

  2. intr to loiter or move aimlessly
  3. intr (of a shaft, engine, etc) to turn without doing useful work
  4. intr (of an engine) to run at low speed with the transmission disengaged Also (Brit)tick over
  5. tr to cause to be inactive or unemployed
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈidly, adverb
  • ˈidleness, noun
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Other Words From

  • i·dle·ness noun
  • i·dly adverb
  • o·ver·i·dle adjective
  • o·ver·i·dle·ness noun
  • un·i·dle adjective
  • un·i·dling adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idle1

First recorded before 900, and in 1915–20 idle fordef 12; Middle English, Old English īdel (adjective) “empty, trifling, vain, useless”; cognate with German eitel
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Word History and Origins

Origin of idle1

Old English īdel; compare Old High German ītal empty, vain
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Synonym Study

Idle, indolent, lazy, slothful apply to a person who is not active. To be idle is to be inactive or not working at a job. The word is sometimes derogatory, but not always, since one may be relaxing temporarily or may be idle through necessity: pleasantly idle on a vacation; to be idle because one is unemployed or because supplies are lacking. The indolent person is naturally disposed to avoid exertion: indolent and slow in movement; an indolent and contented fisherman. The lazy person is averse to exertion or work, and especially to continued application; the word is usually derogatory: too lazy to earn a living; incurably lazy. Slothful denotes a reprehensible unwillingness to carry one's share of the burden: so slothful as to be a burden on others. See loiter.
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Example Sentences

That choice should depend on where the ship is sailing, how long it is due to be idle rather than in motion, and so on, says Dr Hopkinson.

From BBC

Narbonne hadn’t played a game since Sept. 27 after receiving four forfeit victories and having an idle week.

Narbonne High’s football team, idle since Sept. 27 after four forfeits by Marine League opponents protesting alleged rule violations, is scheduled to return to the field Friday night with a home game against Dorsey in the City Section Open Division playoffs.

A high-ankle sprain kept Gus Edwards idle for four weeks, but the running back has a full tank of gas as the Chargers get into the heart of their schedule.

“The freedoms we hold dear in California are under attack — and we won’t sit idle,” Newsom wrote.

From Salon

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