idler

American  

[ahyd-ler] / ˈaɪd lər /

noun

1. a person who passes time in a lazy or unproductive way.

2. Machinery. an idle gear, wheel, or pulley.

3. 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.

4. Nautical. day man.

---

idler British  

/ ˈaɪdlə /

noun

1. a person who idles

2. another name for idle pulley idle wheel

3. nautical a ship's crew member, such as a carpenter, sailmaker, etc, whose duties do not include standing regular watches

---

Etymology

Origin of idler

First recorded in 1525–35; idle + -er ¹

Example Sentences

There is an almost continuous succession of scenes in which Nicholson sketches this idler, lover, jokester, manipulator, con man, gambler, loner.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2023

Batman co-creator Bob Kane wrote in his 1998 autobiography “Batman and Me”: “The rich foppish Don Diego, Zorro’s alter ego, inspired Bruce Wayne’s facade of being a bored, wealthy idler and playboy.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 29, 2020

Oh, that would be the uncle who willed his farm and estate to Onegin, a charming idler.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 9, 2020

In the sweetly melancholy “Yoyo,” often considered his masterpiece, Mr. Étaix played the dual roles of a wealthy idler and his son, who grows up to become the celebrated clown Yoyo.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2016

When the cutter spindle is vertical the belt runs directly to it from the overhead counter shaft, but when it is horizontal the belt passes over idler pulleys, held above the lathe.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Rose, Joshua