Complete Definition of "idle"

English

Etymology
Old English idel|īdel, from West Germanic *īdla-. Cognate with Dutch ijdel �unimportant�, German eitel �bare, worthless�.

Pronunciation
AHD|īd-(�)l, IPA|/�aɪd(�)l/, SAMPA|/"aId(@)l/

Adjective
en-adj

  1. obsolete empty|Empty, vacant.
  2. Not turned to appropriate use; not occupy|occupied.

#: idle hours

  1. Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing.

#: idle workmen

  1. averse|Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.

#: an idle fellow

  1. Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.

#: an idle story; idle talk; idle rumor

Translations
trans-top|not turned to appropriate use, not occupied
Portuguese: vazio, inapropriado, desocupado
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trans-top|not engaged in any occupation or employment
Bulgarian: незае�
Finnish: joutilas, toimeton
Italian: disoccupato
Portuguese: desocupado, desempregado
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trans-top|averse to work or labor
Finnish: laiska
Portuguese: preguiçoso, vagabundo
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trans-top|of no importance, worthless, useless
Finnish: joutava
Portuguese: inútil, imprestável, vão
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Verb
en-verb|idl|ing

  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
trans-top|to spend in idleness, to waste
Hebrew: he-translation|�����|av"talah
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trans-top|to lose or spend time doing nothing
rftrans
Hebrew: he-translation|�����|av"talah
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trans-top|to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
Finnish: olla joutokäynti|joutokäynnillä
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Related terms
idler

References
R:Century 1911
R:Webster 1913

fa:idle
fr:idle
io:idle
it:idle
hu:idle
pl:idle
ru:idle
fi:idle
ta:idle
te:idle
vi:idle
zh:idle

Revision and Credits for"idle"
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