idle

[ahyd-l]

adjective

idler, idlest 

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)

idled, idling 

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)

idled, idling 

1. to pass (time) doing nothing (often followed byaway ).

   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

verb

1. 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. Also (Brit): tick over. (intr) (of an engine) to run at low speed with the transmission disengaged

5. (tr) to cause to be inactive or unemployed

Other Word Forms

• idleness noun
• idly adverb
• overidle adjective
• overidleness noun
• unidle adjective
• unidling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of idle¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of idle¹

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

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.

Example Sentences

Police rushed to the scene and arrested several activists, including 25-year-old Sakani Sarah, who was charged with being idle and disorderly.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There is one such facility near Stockholm Arlanda Airport, where 20 chargers stand idle.

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Ford is the biggest customer of a Novelis aluminum plant in New York state that was idled by a Sept. 16 fire.

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She was also keenly aware that her Machiavellian husband was suddenly a foreign-policy expert without portfolio and, as such, was likely to get his idle self in trouble.

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In May, Ford was forced to briefly idle a Chicago plant that assembles its Explorer SUV because of a shortage of magnets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• empty 
• unproductive 
• useless