I. ˈīd ə l adjective
( idler -d( ə )lə(r) ; idlest -d( ə )lə̇st)
Etymology: Middle English idel (also, empty, void), from Old English īdel; akin to Old Frisian īdel empty, worthless, vain, Old Saxon īdal, Old High German ītal
1.
a. : lacking worth or basis : leading to nothing : groundless , useless
idle theorizing
an idle rumor
it would be idle to argue further
b. : having no particular reason for existing or occurring : light, casual, and superficial
idle chatter
took an idle glance about
asked out of idle curiosity
2.
a. : not occupied or employed: as
(1) of a person : having no employment or business : unemployed
closed factories and idle workmen
(2) of a period of time : marked by want of activity especially of a useful or constructive nature : wasted
passed his idle days in sloth
that idle hour just before dusk
(3) of a thing : not turned to normal or appropriate use
idle tenements
: not called into active service
idle capital
b.
(1) : given to rest or ease : seeking to avoid labor or employment : trifling , lazy , slothful
a careless idle worker
idle boys playing in the streets
(2) : having no regular occupation or evident lawful means of support
answer to the charge of being an idle person
(3) : idling
an engine running at fast idle speed
3. now dialect England
a. : lightheaded, foolish
b. : mischievous
Synonyms: see inactive , vain
II. verb
( idled ; idled ; idling -d( ə )liŋ ; idles )
intransitive verb
1. : to lose or spend time in idleness
idling in the garden
especially : to move idly
idled along the stream bank
2. : to run disconnected or unloaded so that power is not used for external or useful work — used especially of a motor, engine, pulley wheel
transitive verb
1. : to spend (as time) in idleness — often used with away
idling away a pleasant summer day
2. : to make or leave idle
cutbacks in orders that idled thousands of workers
the common cold idles more people than any other disease
3. : to cause to idle
idle a motor
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: idle (II)
: an act or instance or the state of idling
an engine running at idle