idle

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English [edit]

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Etymology [edit]

Old English īdel, from West Germanic *īdla-. Cognate with Dutch ijdel (vain), German eitel (bare, worthless).

Pronunciation [edit]

Adjective [edit]

idle (comparative more idle, superlative most idle)

  1. (obsolete) Empty, vacant.
  2. Not turned to appropriate use; not occupied.
    idle hours
    My computer hibernates after it has been idle for 30 minutes.
  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
    • 1907, Robert Chambers, chapter 6, The Younger Set[1]:
      “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, … !”
  5. Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.
    an idle story; idle talk; idle rumor

Synonyms [edit]

Translations [edit]

Verb [edit]

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.

Translations [edit]

Related terms [edit]

References [edit]

Anagrams [edit]