adjective \ˈī-dəl\

: not working, active, or being used

: not having any real purpose or value

: not having much activity

idler \ˈīd-lər, ˈī-dəl-ər\ idlest \ˈīd-ləst, ˈī-dəl-əst\

Full Definition of IDLE

:  not occupied or employed: as
a :  having no employment :  inactive <idle workers>
a :  shiftless, lazy
b :  having no evident lawful means of support
idle·ness \ˈī-dəl-nəs\ noun
idly \ˈīd-lē, ˈī-dəl-ē\ adverb

Examples of IDLE

  1. There has been a lot of idle speculation about what might happen, but no one really knows.
  2. the idle days of summer

Origin of IDLE

First Known Use: before 12th century

Rhymes with IDLE




: to spend time doing nothing or nothing useful

: to cause (someone or something) to stop working : to make (someone or something) idle

idledidling \ˈīd-liŋ, ˈī-dəl-iŋ\

Full Definition of IDLE

intransitive verb
a :  to spend time in idleness
b :  to move idly
:  to run at low power and often disconnected usually so that power is not used for useful work <the engine is idling>
transitive verb
:  to pass in idleness
:  to make idle <workers idled by a strike>
:  to cause to idle
idler \ˈīd-lər, ˈī-dəl-ər\ noun

Examples of IDLE

  1. She left the engine idling for a few seconds before she turned it off.
  2. The cars idled in traffic.
  3. A group of boys idled in the doorway.
  4. The factory closed, idling several hundred workers.
  5. Thousands of workers have been idled by the bad economy.
  6. The factory has been idled by the strike.

First Known Use of IDLE


Synonym Discussion of IDLE

idle, loaf, lounge, loll, laze mean to spend time doing nothing. idle may be used in reference to persons that move lazily or without purpose <idled the day away>. loaf suggests either resting or wandering about as though there were nothing to do <she does her work and then loafs the rest of the day>. lounge , though occasionally used as equal to idle or loaf, typically conveys an additional implication of resting or reclining against a support or of physical comfort and ease in relaxation <he lounged against the wall>. loll also carries an implication of a posture similar to that of lounge, but places greater stress upon an indolent or relaxed attitude <lolling on the couch>. laze usually implies the relaxation of a busy person enjoying a vacation or moments of leisure <lazed about between appointments>.

Rhymes with IDLE


Next Word in the Dictionary: idlebyPrevious Word in the Dictionary: -idiumAll Words Near: idle
April 27, 2015
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