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1. Dictionary

   I·dle

   /ˈīd(ə)l/

   

   adjective

   • 1. (of a person) avoiding work; lazy: "idle students" Similar lazyindolentslothfulwork-shyshiftlessloafinginactiveinertsluggishlethargiclanguorouslistlesstorpidremissnegligentslacklaxlackadaisicalimpassivegood-for-nothingdo-nothingleisurelyinformal:bone idlearchaic:fainéantrare:otioseOpposite industrious
   • ▪ (of a person) not working; unemployed: "10.3 percent of the workforce is now idle" Similar unemployedjoblessout of workout of a jobbetween jobsworklessunwagedunoccupiedredundantinformal:on the dolesigning oneuphemistic:restinginformal:on the wallaby trackOpposite employed
   • ▪ (especially of a machine or factory) not active or in use: "assembly lines standing idle for lack of spare parts" Similar not in useout of usenot operatingnot workinginactiveout of actioninoperativenonfunctioningout of serviceunusedunoccupiedunemployeddisusedno longer in usefallen into disusemothballedOpposite working
   • ▪ (of time) characterized by inaction or absence of significant activity: "at no time in the day must there be an idle moment" Similar unoccupiedspareemptyvacantunfilledavailableOpposite busyfull
   • ▪ (of money) held in cash or in accounts paying no interest.
   • 2. without purpose or effect; pointless: "he did not want to waste valuable time in idle chatter" Similar frivoloustrivialtriflingminorpettyfoolishlightweightshallowsuperficialinsignificantunimportantworthlessvaluelesspointlesspaltrynigglingperipheralwithout depthinanefatuoussenselessmeaninglesspurposelessunnecessarytime-wastingOpposite seriousmeaningful
   • ▪ (especially of a threat or boast) without foundation: "I knew Ellen did not make idle threats" Similar emptymeaninglessaimlesspointlessworthlessuselessvainin vaininsubstantialfutileineffectiveineffectualgroundlesswithout groundsbaselesswithout/lacking foundationOpposite serious

   verb

   • 1. spend time doing nothing: "four men were idling outside the shop" Similar do nothingbe inactivevegetatesit backtake it easyrest on one's oarsmark timekick one's heelstwiddle one's thumbskill timelanguishlaze (around)lounge (around)loll (around)loaf (around)slouch (around)go to seeddegeneratemolderstagnateinformal:hang aroundveg outmooch aboutmooch aroundslummockbum aroundbat aroundlollygaglay on one's oarsfritterwhilelazeloiterpassspenduseemployuse upoccupytake upfill upfill infillbeguileexpenddevotewastedissipatekill
   • ▪ move aimlessly or lazily: "Cal idled past MetroHealth at a stately pace" Similar saunterstrolldawdledriftputteramblego/walk slowlyloitermaunderwanderstraggleinformal:moseytootlepootlemoochswan
   • ▪ take out of use or employment: North American "he will close the newspaper, idling 2,200 workers" Similar saunterstrolldawdledriftputteramblego/walk slowlyloitermaunderwanderstraggleinformal:moseytootlepootlemoochswan
   • 2. (of an engine) run slowly while disconnected from a load or out of gear: "the car is noisily idling in the street" Similar tick overrun slowly in neutral
   • ▪ cause (an engine) to idle. Similar tick overrun slowly in neutral

   Word Origin Old Englishīdel ‘empty, useless’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch ijdel ‘vain, frivolous, useless’ and German eitel ‘bare, worthless’.

   Scrabble Points: 5

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2. www.dictionary.com › browse › idleIDLE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › idle

   • Cached

   not in use or operation; not kept busy: idle machinery. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy. of no real worth, importance, or significance: idle talk. Synonyms: trifling, trivial, worthless. Antonyms: worthwhile, important. having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless: idle fears.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishIDLE | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-english

   • Cached

   IDLE definition: 1. not working or being used: 2. not serious or having no real purpose: 3. lazy and not willing…. Learn more.

4. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishIDLE definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   6 days ago · To be idle is to be inactive or not working at a job. The word is sometimes derogatory, but not always, since one may be relaxing temporarily or may be idle through necessity: pleasantly idle on a vacation; to be idle because one is unemployed or because supplies are lacking.

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishidle adjective - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   [usually before noun] (of time) not spent doing work or something particular. In idle moments, he carved wooden figures. Word Origin. Idioms. the devil makes work for idle hands. (saying) people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong. She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers.

6. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishidle verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english

   • Cached

   Definition of idle verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

7. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › idleidle | meaning of idle in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary ...

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › idle

   • Cached

   From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English i·dle1 /ˈaɪdl/ adjective 1 not working or producing anything OPP busy I cannot afford to leave the land lying idle. The whole team stood idle, waiting for the mechanic.

8. www.yourdictionary.com › idleIdle Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

   www.yourdictionary.com › idle

   • Cached

   Having no value, use, or significance; worthless; useless. Idle talk. Webster's New World. Similar definitions. Not scheduled to play a game. Both teams played today but will be idle tomorrow. American Heritage. More Adjective Definitions (5) Synonyms: worthless. vacuous. useless.