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   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

   • I

     1

   • D

     2

   • L

     1

   • E

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