idle

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.2.1 Homophones 1.3 Adjective 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 Related terms 1.6 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Old English īdel, from West Germanic *īdla-. Cognate with Dutch ijdel ‘unimportant’, German eitel ‘bare, worthless’.

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: īʹd(ə)l, IPA: /ˈaɪd(ə)l/, SAMPA: /"aId(@)l/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -aɪdəl

[edit] Homophones

• idol, idyl(l) (US pronunciation)

[edit] Adjective

idle (comparative more idle, superlative most idle)

1. (obsolete) Empty, vacant.
2. Not turned to appropriate use; not occupied.

   idle hours

3. Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing.

   idle workmen

4. Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.

   an idle fellow

5. Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.

   an idle story; idle talk; idle rumor

[edit] Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:lazy

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to idle (third-person singular simple present idles, present participle idling, simple past and past participle idled)

1. (transitive) To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.
2. (intransitive) To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.
3. (intransitive) Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick-over.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Related terms

• idler

[edit] References

• idle in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• idle in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913