idle
idle /ˈaɪdəl/
adjective
-
(
)
Not in action or at work
(
idle
)
not in action or at work
An idle laborer
an idle laborer
Idle drifters
idle drifters
The idle rich
the idle rich
An idle mind
an idle mind
-
()
Not in active use
(
unused
, idle
)
not in active use
The machinery sat idle during the strike
the machinery sat idle during the strike
Idle hands
idle hands
-
()
Without a basis in reason or fact
(
baseless
, unfounded
, unwarranted
, groundless
, idle
, wild
)
without a basis in reason or fact
Baseless gossip
baseless gossip
The allegations proved groundless
the allegations proved groundless
Idle fears
idle fears
Unfounded suspicions
unfounded suspicions
Unwarranted jealousy
unwarranted jealousy
-
Not having a job
(
idle
, jobless
, out of work
)
not having a job
Idle carpenters
idle carpenters
Jobless transients
jobless transients
Many people in the area were out of work
many people in the area were out of work
-
Not yielding a return
(
dead
, idle
)
not yielding a return
Dead capital
dead capital
Idle funds
idle funds
-
Lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility
(
idle
, loose
)
lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility
Idle talk
idle talk
A loose tongue
a loose tongue
-
Silly or trivial
(
idle
, light
)
silly or trivial
Idle pleasure
idle pleasure
Light banter
light banter
Light idle chatter
light idle chatter
noun
-
The state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
(
idle
)
the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
The car engine was running at idle
the car engine was running at idle
verb
-
()
Run disconnected or idle
(
tick over
, idle
)
run disconnected or idle
The engine is idling
the engine is idling
-
()
Be idle; exist in a changeless situation
(
slug
[Informal] , stagnate
, idle
, laze
)
be idle; exist in a changeless situation
The old man sat and stagnated on his porch
The old man sat and stagnated on his porch
He slugged in bed all morning
He slugged in bed all morning
