adj. 1 unused, inactive, unoccupied, non-operative, stationary The looms were idle for months The devil finds work for idle hands. 2 unemployed, out of work, redundant, jobless, workless, Colloq at leisure, at liberty, between assignments, resting, US on the beach Unable to find work, Gilbert has been idle for a year 3 indolent, lazy, listless, lethargic, loafing, slothful, shiftless, lackadaisical, loitering, fainéant Since winning the lottery, Crouch has become one of the idle rich 4 bootless, fruitless, unproductive, abortive, unfruitful, pointless, vain, trifling, trivial, shallow, nugatory, superficial, insignificant, meaningless, senseless, unimportant, frivolous, worthless, useless, otiose, unavailing, futile We were passing the time at the pub in idle chatter when Michael walked in He had no factual information to offer, only idle speculation.
v. 5 Often, idle away. waste, fritter away, while away, kill They idle away the hours lying by the swimming-pool 6 laze (about), loiter, kill time, loaf, loll, lounge, take it easy, Brit potter or US putter about or away, mess about, fool away, fool around or about, Colloq Brit muck about, bugger about, US lallygag or lollygag, goof off or around, Military slang US gold-brick Stop idling and get down to work