idler
[ ahyd-ler ]
/ ˈaɪd lər /
noun
a person who passes time in a lazy or unproductive way.
Machinery. an idle gear, wheel, or pulley.
Railroads. an empty freight car placed under the projecting end of a long object carried by the next car, so that the latter can be connected with another part of the train.
Nautical. day man (def. 2).
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Words nearby idler
idle, idle character, idle gear, idleness, idle pulley, idler, idler shaft, idlesse, idle time, idle wheel, idly
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for idler
idler
/ (ˈaɪdlə) /
noun
a person who idles
another name for idle pulley, idle wheel
nautical a ship's crew member, such as a carpenter, sailmaker, etc, whose duties do not include standing regular watches
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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