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- Dictionaryidle/ˈʌɪdl/
adjective
- 1. (of a person) avoiding work; lazy: "idle students" Similar Opposite
- 2. without purpose or effect; pointless: "he did not want to waste valuable time in idle chatter" Similar Opposite
verb
- 1. spend time doing nothing: "four men were idling outside the shop" Similar
- 2. (of an engine) run slowly while disconnected from a load or out of gear: "Nadine kept the engine idling" Similar
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IDLE definition: 1. not working or being used: 2. An idle moment or period of time is one in which there is no work…. Learn more.
1. : not occupied or employed: such as. a. : having no employment : inactive. idle workers. b. : not turned to normal or appropriate use. idle farmland. c. : not scheduled to compete. the team will be idle tomorrow. 2. : lacking worth or basis : vain. idle chatter. idle pleasure. 3. a. : shiftless, lazy. b.
1. To pass time without being engaged in purposeful activity: "The girls idled all day long, sending their tinkling laughter flowing up and down the street" (Alai). 2. To move slowly or without purpose: "I drove past the workshop ... I idled along the driveway past the pole fence ... to Tyhee Road" (Tom Spanbauer). 3.
Idle definition: not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing. See examples of IDLE used in a sentence.
idle, indolent, lazy, slothful apply to a person who is not active. 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.
Something idle is not active. If your car is idling, it's running but not moving. If someone calls you idle, it either means they think you don't have enough to do or that you're just plain lazy.
IDLE definition: 1. not working or being used: 2. not serious or having no real purpose: 3. lazy and not willing…. Learn more.
idle meaning, definition, what is idle: not working or producing anything: Learn more.
[usually before noun] with no particular purpose or effect. idle chatter/curiosity. It was just an idle threat (= not serious). It is idle to pretend that their marriage is a success. [usually before noun] (of time) not spent doing work or something particular. In idle moments, he carved wooden figures. Word Origin. Idioms.
verb. /ˈaɪdl/ Verb Forms. [transitive, intransitive] to spend time doing nothing important. idle something (+ adv./prep.) They idled the days away, talking and watching television. (+ adv./prep.) They idled along by the river (= walked slowly and with no particular purpose). Homophones idle | idol. Definitions on the go.
