Dictionary

idle en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈʌɪdəl/ Canada, idle-idol split
• /ˈaɪd(ə)l/
• (US) audio
• īʹd(ə)l

Etymology

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel, from Proto-West Germanic *īdl, from Proto-Germanic *īdlaz. Cognate with Dutch ijdel (“vain, meaningless”), ijl (“rareified, skinny”), iel (“thin, slender”); German Low German iedel (“vain, idle”); German eitel (“vain, conceited”); and possibly Old Norse illr ("bad"; > English ill).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Empty, vacant.
2. Not being used appropriately; not occupied; (of time) with no, no important, or not much activity.
   • The majority of accounts require no minimum balance and charge no monthly service fee. Where monthly fees and balance requirements exist, they're low. You earn no interest on the idle money in the account. 2009, Jane Bryant Quinn, Making the Most of Your Money Now:
   • My computer hibernates after it has been idle for 30 minutes.
   • idle hours
3. Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.
   • Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
   • idle workmen
4. Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
   • “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, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,[…]!” 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VI, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
   • an idle fellow
5. Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.
   • an idle story;  idle talk;  idle rumor;  idle threats;  idle pleasures
6. (obsolete) Light-headed; foolish.
   • The youth is idle 1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy:

Forms

Deriveds

idling · idlish · idleful · idle hands are the devil's workshop · idle pulley · idle hands are the devil's playthings · idle hands make work for the Devil · idle hands are the Devil's workshop · idlehead · idle hands are the devil's tools · idleship · bone idle · idle as Ludlam's dog · idledom · idlesome · the devil finds work for idle hands · idle hands are the Devil's tools · idleness · overidle · idle time · idle game · nonidle · idle hands make work for the devil · idleheaded · the Devil finds work for idle hands · idle threat · idlehood · idle asset · the devil makes work for idle hands · bone-idle · the Devil makes work for idle hands · unidle · idly · idle hands are the Devil's playthings · idle wheel

Synonyms

dumb · superseded · minor · unemployed · softheaded · dated · mookish · simple · unsage · two-bit · slow · indifferent · dootsie · workless · sedentary · outmoded · trifling · venerable · languid · idle · miserable · antediluvial · inert · pointless · idle · petty · inconsequential · out of fashion · balmy · unemployed · woolly-headed · ticky-tacky · mean · pissass · unweighty · floccinaucinihilipilificatious · nondescript · elderly · unwise · dormant · sedent · asinine · lither · insignificant · tin-pot · antiquated · nonemployed · duncical · unbusied · out of work · fuzzy-headed · indolent · primitive · hoary · stupid · worthless · simple · contemptible · piteous · work-shy · defunct · desuete · out of a job · idle · cobwebbed · paltry · Miss Havishamesque · fatuous · torpid · inert · base · fuzzy-minded · slight · idiotic · piddly · thick · bone-idle · immaterial · loony · old school · on the wallaby track · cobwebby · foolish · silly · quiescent · unoccupied · abeyant · leer · antique · quiescent · dense · nothingburger · slight · passive · ignorable · fatuous · antediluvian · bare · occupationless · mouldy · behind the times · silly · workless · at rest · workless · pissant · for the birds · fallow · employmentally challenged · petty · nonactive · otiose · dim-witted · meager · outdated · vain · between jobs · negligible · idle · null · picayunish · dull-headed · disused · swear · out of date · goofy · silent · sluggish · anachronistic · inactive · wretched · pointless · barmy · idle · jobless · parachronistic · obsolete · void · dopey · torpid · idle · cessant · old-fashioned · slothful · old · naive · superannuated · oldfangled · suspended · lackadaisical · hibernating · extinct · lazy · suspended · frivolous · like a fart in a windstorm · woolly-minded · Havishamesque · sottish · latent · outworn · bedaft · unbusied · wool-headed · unoccupied · unwise · picayune · slow-witted · pitiful · expired · trivial · gauvison · piddling · on the wallaby · daft · unemployed · dull · backwards · standing by · inert · derpy · backward · archaic · crackpot · discontinued · passé · fossilized · dormant · resting · unbusy · insipient · inconsiderable · fainéant · dim-headed · unimportant · futile · soft in the head · indolent · unactive · dull-witted

Translations (184)

fr oiseux (of no importance, worthless, useless) · ja 暇な (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · el αδρανής (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · it pigro (averse to work or labor) · no arbeidsløs (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl desempregado (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · fr inactif (averse to work or labor) · yue 懶散嘅 /懒散嘅 (averse to work or labor) · pl leniwy (averse to work or labor) · fa بیکاری (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · tr aylak (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl mandrugueiro (averse to work or labor) · gl estreloxo (of no importance, worthless, useless) · it vano (of no importance, worthless, useless) · eo vana (of no importance, worthless, useless) · fa تلفشده (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · pt vagabundo (averse to work or labor) · cs líný (averse to work or labor) · it inutile (of no importance, worthless, useless) · fi joutilas (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · bg неза́ет (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl camanduleiro (averse to work or labor) · nl nietsdoend (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl inactivo (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · de nutzlos (of no importance, worthless, useless) · tr boş (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · be ляні́вы (averse to work or labor) · gl galavardo (of no importance, worthless, useless) · sk lenivý (averse to work or labor) · es ocioso (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · yue 唔重要嘅 (of no importance, worthless, useless) · fr fainéant (averse to work or labor) · gl gallofeiro (averse to work or labor) · ka დაუსაქმებელი (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · pt imprestável (of no importance, worthless, useless) · es desocupado (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · cs volný (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · txb ālase (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · de faul (averse to work or labor) · yue 懶惰嘅 /懒惰嘅 (averse to work or labor) · it ozioso (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ca inactiu (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · de müßig (of no importance, worthless, useless) · cs neužitečný (of no importance, worthless, useless) · uk леда́чий (averse to work or labor) · de Mußezeit (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · cs nepotřebný (of no importance, worthless, useless) · pl bezczynny (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · enm ydel (of no importance, worthless, useless) · izh joutava (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · bg напра́зен (of no importance, worthless, useless) · it ozioso (averse to work or labor) · uk ліни́вий (averse to work or labor) · la ōtiōsus (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · de Totzeit (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ka უმაქნისი (averse to work or labor) · it disoccupato (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · enm ydel (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ca ociós (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · izh joutava (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · sv overksam (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · bg мързели́в (averse to work or labor) · es ocioso (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl galfarro (averse to work or labor) · oc ociós (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ka უქნარა (averse to work or labor) · fr oisif (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · fi laiska (averse to work or labor) · it infingardo (averse to work or labor) · fi joutava (of no importance, worthless, useless) · gl mandrugueiro (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · mi paeko (averse to work or labor) · es vagabundo (averse to work or labor) · el άνεργος (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ga díomhaoin (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · tr boş (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gd dìomhain (averse to work or labor) · gl vao (of no importance, worthless, useless) · gd leisg (averse to work or labor) · gl lacazán (averse to work or labor) · gl mandriolas (of no importance, worthless, useless) · oc inactiu (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · it indolente (averse to work or labor) · gd dìomhain (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · fa الکی (of no importance, worthless, useless) · tr avare (averse to work or labor) · gl preguiceiro (averse to work or labor) · grc ἀργός (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ca dropo (averse to work or labor) · ko 게으르다 (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · af nutteloos (of no importance, worthless, useless) · enm ydel (averse to work or labor) · gl calaceiro (averse to work or labor) · yue 冇意義嘅 /冇意义嘅 (of no importance, worthless, useless) · qu qilla (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · mk мрзлив (averse to work or labor) · ca aturat (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · de untätig (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · izh joutava (of no importance, worthless, useless) · gd dìomhain (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · bg безполе́зен (of no importance, worthless, useless) · mi paeko (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · fi luppoaika (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · oc estaire (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · pt inutilizável (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · gl langrán (averse to work or labor) · yue 閒置嘅 /闲置嘅 (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · af onaktief (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · af werksku (averse to work or labor) · gl lorán (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · yue 得閒嘅 /得闲嘅 (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ota تنبل (averse to work or labor) · el οκνηρός (averse to work or labor) · izh laiska (averse to work or labor) · tr avare (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · fi toimeton (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl folgado (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · oc pigre (averse to work or labor) · gl valuto (of no importance, worthless, useless) · el ανώφελος (of no importance, worthless, useless) · it inattivo (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ka უსაქმური (averse to work or labor) · tr değersiz (of no importance, worthless, useless) · la deses (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · pt desempregado (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · tr aylak (averse to work or labor) · oc ociós (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · tr boş (of no importance, worthless, useless) · gl lorán (averse to work or labor) · tr aylak (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ru лени́вый (averse to work or labor) · th ว่างงาน (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · oc desobrat (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · bg безде́ен (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · hu tétlen (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ota هایلاز (averse to work or labor) · cmn 閒 /闲 (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · tr atıl (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · bg лени́в (averse to work or labor) · bg безрабо́тен (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · pl próżny (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ru неза́нятый (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl nugallán (averse to work or labor) · nl nutteloos (of no importance, worthless, useless) · ota كارسز (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · pt inútil (of no importance, worthless, useless) · enm ydel (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · oc desocupat (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · cs nečinný (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · yue 無謂 /无谓 (of no importance, worthless, useless) · fi joutilas (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · nl inactief (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · el άεργος (averse to work or labor) · de überflüssig (of no importance, worthless, useless) · pt desocupado (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · fa بیکار (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · fa بیکار (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · pt preguiçoso (averse to work or labor) · de ungenutzt (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · id gabut (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · la ōtiōsus (averse to work or labor) · de belanglos (of no importance, worthless, useless) · ast folgosu (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ka მცონარა (averse to work or labor) · el άχρηστος (of no importance, worthless, useless) · it ozioso (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · tr önemsiz (of no importance, worthless, useless) · ca gandul (averse to work or labor) · pt vão (of no importance, worthless, useless) · pt ocioso (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · oc canhós (averse to work or labor) · de müßig (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · gl baldeiro (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · fi luppo (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · pt inapropriado (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · pt desocupado (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · ar عَاطِل عَن اَلْعَمَل (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · pt vazio (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · ka უმუშევარი (not engaged in any occupation or employment) · de arbeitsscheu (averse to work or labor) · eo senokupa (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · it inattivo (not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity) · gd dìomhain (of no importance, worthless, useless) · ca desocupat (not engaged in any occupation or employment)

idle en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈʌɪdəl/ Canada, idle-idol split
• /ˈaɪd(ə)l/
• (US) audio
• īʹd(ə)l

Etymology

From Middle English idelen, from Old English īdlian, from Proto-West Germanic *īdlēn. Cognate with German eiteln (“to make empty, free up”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To spend (time) in idleness; to waste; to consume.
   • he […] lay in his blind idling the hours until the rising tide would send the shorebirds in across the marsh. Not far off two sons of Southern Italy were lazily transferring a stack of cut salt hay to a one horse hay cart. 1967, Urner Field Observer, page 49:
   • […] the ne'er-do-anything-at-home who idled his day in immaculate attire and who was banished to Canada on a "remittance," shares his pork and beans with the sourdough, who has scratched rocks and sifted black sand from his infancy. 1912, Frederick Arthur Talbot, Making Good in Canada, page 81:
   • While idling the hours I trace verses / On the inside of wrappers embellishing cans Of Bordeaux mackerel, caught in Monterey. 1920, Raine Bennett, After the Day: A Collection of Post-war Impressions, page 1:
   • 'If I know William, he'll be settled in some airy corridor, idling the hours until he can ride in comfort.' 2017 September 1, Angela King, The Blood of Kings, Open Road Media, →ISBN:
2. (intransitive) To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.
   • He had already heard of the young man's projected journey — evidently the Comte de Combourg had written many letters while his son idled at St. Malo […] 1939, Joan Evans, Chateaubriand, page 32:
   • to idle in an IRC channel
3. (intransitive) Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.
   • High levels of all pollutants were found during time idling in stations. 2021 October 6, Paul Clifton, “Network News: RSSB research exposes poor air quality on diesel trains”, in RAIL, number 941, page 14:
   • When train heating is in operation the diesel engine is arranged to idle at 550 r.p.m. which is the minimum at which the generator will deliver its full rated output. 1960 April 14, “Type "3" Diesel-Electric Locomotives for the Southern Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 246:
4. (transitive) To cause (an engine) to idle (run at a slow speed, or out of gear).
   • The driver idled his engine until the car finally stalled.
5. (of a layoff or a labor strike, transitive) To make (workers, students, etc) idle; to leave without work.
   • [L]ayoffs idled 1,900 workers in Ohio and 1,000 in Indiana. At the same time, an Indiana assembly plant recalled 1,200 workers. 1955, United States Bureau of Employment Security, Unemployment Insurance Claims, volumes 11-12, page 14

Forms

Deriveds

nonidling · idlingly · idler

Relateds

idling speed (sense 3)

Translations (67)

af hanna-hanna (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fi olla joutilaana (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · bg лентяйствам (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es andar al mínimo (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · it sciupare nell'ozio (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · es golfear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es vaguear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · it perdere tempo (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · ca vagarejar (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · sv gå på tomgång (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · tr oyalanmak (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · cs mrhat (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · mi whakapāeko (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fi laiskotella (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · tr boşta çalışmak (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · he אבטלה (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · it girare al minimo (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · fi olla vapaalla (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es holgar (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · vi không hoạt động (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · vi đứng không (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es marchar al ralentí (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · el αδρανώ (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · tr boşa harcamak (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · tr aylaklık etmek (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fr tourner au ralenti (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · af hanna-hanna (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · es estar en punto muerto (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · cs zahálet (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fi maleksia (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · vi nằm không (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · af luier (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · pt perder tempo (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fr être/tourner au point mort (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · pl bimbać (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · el τεμπελιάζω (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es estar ralentizado (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · es flojear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es marchar en mínimum (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · bg работя на празен ход (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · it oziare (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · mi whakapateko (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fi idlailla (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · bg безделнича (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · sw zembea (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · gl ouvear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · he אבטלה (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · fi olla joutokäynnillä (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · ru безде́льничать (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · pl przebimbać (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · es haraganear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · gd caith (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · gl lacazanear (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · ca vagar (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es andar en vacío (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · vi ngồi không (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · pl przebimbać (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · es holgazanear (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · it girare a vuoto (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · hu henyél (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · pl bimbać (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fi tuhlata (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · it sprecare tempo (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · it in folle (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear) · fi haaskata (transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste) · fi idlata (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing) · fr fainéanter (intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing)

idle en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /ˈʌɪdəl/ Canada, idle-idol split
• /ˈaɪd(ə)l/
• (US) audio
• īʹd(ə)l

Etymology

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel (“idleness”), from the adjective (see above).

Meanings

1. The state of idling, of being idle.
2. The lowest selectable thrust or power setting of an engine.
   • a lumpy idle
   • A slight valve tap was audible at idle but was not noticeable otherwise.
3. An idle animation.
4. An idle game.

Forms

Hyponyms

ground idle · flight idle

Synonyms

idle game · full throttle · incremental game · wide open