— idleness , n. — idly , adv.
/uyd"l/ , adj., idler, idlest , v. idled, idling , n.
adj.
1. not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing: idle workers.
2. not spent or filled with activity: idle hours.
3. not in use or operation; not kept busy: idle machinery.
4. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy.
5. of no real worth, importance, or significance: idle talk.
6. having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless: idle fears.
7. frivolous; vain: idle pleasures.
8. meaningless; senseless: idle threats.
9. futile; unavailing: idle rage.
v.i.
10. to pass time doing nothing.
11. to move, loiter, or saunter aimlessly: to idle along the avenue.
12. (of a machine, engine, or mechanism) to operate at a low speed, disengaged from the load.
v.t.
13. to pass (time) doing nothing (often fol. by away ): to idle away the afternoon.
14. to cause (a person) to be idle: The strike idled many workers.
15. to cause (a machine, engine, or mechanism) to idle: I waited in the car while idling the engine.
n.
16. the state or quality of being idle.
17. the state of a machine, engine, or mechanism that is idling: a cold engine that stalls at idle.
[ bef. 900; 1915-20 for def. 12; ME, OE idel (adj.) empty, trifling, vain, useless; c. G eitel ]
Syn. 1. sluggish. 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.
The INDOLENT person is naturally disposed to avoid exertion: indolent and slow in movement; an indolent and contented fisherman. The LAZY person is averse to exertion or work, and esp. to continued application; the word is usually derogatory: too lazy to earn a living; incurably lazy. SLOTHFUL denotes a reprehensible unwillingness to carry one's share of the burden: so slothful as to be a burden on others. 5. worthless, trivial, trifling. 7. wasteful. 11. See loiter. 13. waste.
Ant. 1. busy, industrious. 5. important, worthwhile.