i·dle ( d l)adj. i·dler, i·dlest v. i·dled, i·dling, i·dles v.intr. 1. To pass time without working or while avoiding work. 2. To move lazily and without purpose. 3. To run at a slow speed or out of gear. Used of a motor vehicle. v.tr. 1. To pass (time) without working or while avoiding work; waste: idle the afternoon away. 2. To make or cause to be unemployed or inactive. 3. To cause (a motor, for example) to idle. n. 1. A state of idling. Used of a motor vehicle: an engine running quietly at idle. 2. A mechanism for regulating the speed at which an engine runs at rest: set the idle higher to keep the motor from stalling. [Middle English idel, from Old English del.]i dle·ness n.i dler (dl r) n.i dly adv. |
idle [ˈaɪdəl]
adj
1. unemployed or unoccupied; inactive
2. not operating or being used
3. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Banking & Finance) (of money) not being used to earn interest or dividends
4. not wanting to work; lazy
5. (usually prenominal) frivolous or trivial idle pleasures
6. ineffective or powerless; fruitless; vain
7. without basis; unfounded
vb
1. (when tr, often foll by away) to waste or pass (time) fruitlessly or inactively he idled the hours away
2. (intr) to loiter or move aimlessly
3. (Engineering / Mechanical Engineering) (intr) (of a shaft, engine, etc.) to turn without doing useful work
4. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) (intr) Also (Brit) tick over (of an engine) to run at low speed with the transmission disengaged
5. (tr) US and Canadian to cause to be inactive or unemployed
[Old English īdel; compare Old High German ītal empty, vain]
idleness n
idly adv
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | idle - the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling; "the car engine was running at idle" operation - the state of being in effect or being operative; "that rule is no longer in operation" |
| Verb | 1. | idle - run disconnected or idle; "the engine is idling" run - be operating, running or functioning; "The car is still running--turn it off!" |
| 2. | idle - be idle; exist in a changeless situation; "The old man sat and stagnated on his porch"; "He slugged in bed all morning" ride the bench, warm the bench - be out of the game; "Miller was riding the bench in Saturday's game" moon, daydream - have dreamlike musings or fantasies while awake; "She looked out the window, daydreaming" bum about, bum around, frig around, fuck off, loaf, loll around, lounge about, lounge around, waste one's time, arse about, arse around, bum, loll - be lazy or idle; "Her son is just bumming around all day" lie about, lie around - hang around idly; "She did all the work while he lay around" work - exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity; "I will work hard to improve my grades"; "she worked hard for better living conditions for the poor" | |
| Adj. | 1. | idle - not in action or at work; "an idle laborer"; "idle drifters"; "the idle rich"; "an idle mind" ineffective, ineffectual, uneffective - not producing an intended effect; "an ineffective teacher"; "ineffective legislation" unemployed - not engaged in a gainful occupation; "unemployed workers marched on the capital" busy - actively or fully engaged or occupied; "busy with her work"; "a busy man"; "too busy to eat lunch" |
| 2. |  idle - without a basis in reason or fact; "baseless gossip"; "the allegations proved groundless"; "idle fears"; "unfounded suspicions"; "unwarranted jealousy"unsupported - not sustained or maintained by nonmaterial aid; "unsupported accusations" | |
| 3. | idle - not in active use; "the machinery sat idle during the strike"; "idle hands" inactive - lacking activity; lying idle or unused; "an inactive mine"; "inactive accounts"; "inactive machinery" | |
| 4. | idle - silly or trivial; "idle pleasure"; "light banter"; "light idle chatter" frivolous - not serious in content or attitude or behavior; "a frivolous novel"; "a frivolous remark"; "a frivolous young woman" | |
| 5. | idle - lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; "idle talk"; "a loose tongue" irresponsible - showing lack of care for consequences; "behaved like an irresponsible idiot"; "hasty and irresponsible action" | |
| 6. | idle - not yielding a return; "dead capital"; "idle funds" unprofitable - producing little or no profit or gain; "deposits abandoned by mining companies as unprofitable" | |
| 7. | idle - not having a job; "idle carpenters"; "jobless transients"; "many people in the area were out of work" unemployed - not engaged in a gainful occupation; "unemployed workers marched on the capital" |
idle
adjective
1. unoccupied, unemployed, redundant, jobless, out of work, out of action, inactive, at leisure, between jobs, unwaged, at a loose end Employees have been idle for almost a month now.
unoccupied working, employed, active, busy, occupied, energetic, industrious
unoccupied working, employed, active, busy, occupied, energetic, industrious
2. unused, stationary, inactive, out of order, ticking over, gathering dust, mothballed, out of service, out of action or operation Now the machine is lying idle.
3. lazy, slow, slack, sluggish, lax, negligent, inactive, inert, lethargic, indolent, lackadaisical, good-for-nothing, remiss, workshy, slothful, shiftless I've never met such an idle bunch of workers!
lazy working, employed, active, busy, occupied, operative, functional
lazy working, employed, active, busy, occupied, operative, functional
4. useless, vain, pointless, hopeless, unsuccessful, ineffective, worthless, futile, fruitless, unproductive, abortive, ineffectual, groundless, of no use, valueless, disadvantageous, unavailing, otiose, of no avail, profitless, bootless It would be idle to pretend the system is worthless.
useless effective, useful, profitable, worthwhile, fruitful, advantageous
useless effective, useful, profitable, worthwhile, fruitful, advantageous
5. trivial, superficial, insignificant, frivolous, silly, unnecessary, irrelevant, foolish, unhelpful, flippant, puerile, flighty, ill-considered, empty-headed, nugatory He kept up the idle chatter for another five minutes.
trivial important, meaningful
trivial important, meaningful
6. empty, useless, hollow, vain, trivial, pointless, worthless, trifling, insignificant, senseless, inconsequential, aimless, insubstantial, valueless, purposeless It was more of an idle threat than anything.
verb
1. (often with away) fritter, while, waste, fool, lounge, potter, loaf, dally, loiter, dawdle, laze He idled the time away in dreamy thought.
2. do nothing, slack, hang out (informal), languish, take it easy, shirk, stagnate, mark time, kill time, skive (Brit. slang), vegetate, sit back and do nothing, veg out (slang), kick your heels, bludge (Austral. & N.Z. informal) We spent many hours idling in cafes.
4. tick over, in neutral Her limo waited with its engine idling.
Quotations
"As idle as a painted ship"
"Upon a painted ocean" [Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Ancient Mariner]
"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do" [Jerome K. Jerome Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow]
"Satan finds some mischief still"
"For idle hands to do" [Isaac Watts Divine Songs for Children]
"We would all be idle if we could" [Samuel Johnson]
"It is better to have loafed and lost than never to have loafed at all" [James Thurber Fables For Our Time]
"As idle as a painted ship"
"Upon a painted ocean" [Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Ancient Mariner]
"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do" [Jerome K. Jerome Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow]
"Satan finds some mischief still"
"For idle hands to do" [Isaac Watts Divine Songs for Children]
"We would all be idle if we could" [Samuel Johnson]
"It is better to have loafed and lost than never to have loafed at all" [James Thurber Fables For Our Time]
Translations
idle [ˈaɪdl]
A. ADJ (idler (compar) (idlest (superl)))
1. (= lazy) → perezoso, holgazán, flojo(LAm); (= work-shy) → vago; (= without work) → parado, desocupado; (= inactive) [machine, factory] → parado; [moment] → de ocio, libre
the machine is never idle → la máquina no está nunca parada
the reduction in orders made 100 workers idle → la caída en el número de pedidos dejó a 100 obreros sin trabajo
to stand idle [factory, machine] → estar parado
the machine is never idle → la máquina no está nunca parada
the reduction in orders made 100 workers idle → la caída en el número de pedidos dejó a 100 obreros sin trabajo
to stand idle [factory, machine] → estar parado
2. [fear, speculation] → infundado; [threat] → vano
he is not one to indulge in idle boasting/speculation → no es de los que se da a fanfarronear/especular porque sí
we sat making idle conversation → pasamos el rato sentados charlando
I asked out of idle curiosity → lo pregunté por pura curiosidad
it's just idle gossip → no es más que cotilleo
this is no idle threat → no es ésta una amenaza hecha a la ligera
he is not one to indulge in idle boasting/speculation → no es de los que se da a fanfarronear/especular porque sí
we sat making idle conversation → pasamos el rato sentados charlando
I asked out of idle curiosity → lo pregunté por pura curiosidad
it's just idle gossip → no es más que cotilleo
this is no idle threat → no es ésta una amenaza hecha a la ligera
B. VI
C. CPD idle capacity N (Comm) → capacidad f sin utilizar
idle money N (Comm) → capital m improductivo
idle time N (Comm) → tiempo m de paro
idle money N (Comm) → capital m improductivo
idle time N (Comm) → tiempo m de paro
idle away VT + ADV [+ time] → desperdiciar, echar a perder
he idles away his days in the garden → se pasa las horas muertas en el jardín
he idles away his days in the garden → se pasa las horas muertas en el jardín
idle [ˈaɪdəl]
adj
(= unoccupied) → désœuvré(e)
It is not his nature to be idle → Ce n'est pas dans sa nature d'être désœuvré.
It is not his nature to be idle → Ce n'est pas dans sa nature d'être désœuvré.
(= lazy) → paresseux/euse
Women thought men idle good-for-nothings → Les femmes considéraient les hommes comme des bons à rien paresseux.
Women thought men idle good-for-nothings → Les femmes considéraient les hommes comme des bons à rien paresseux.
(= enjoying a leisurely lifestyle) → oisif/ive
idle bureaucrats who spend the day reading newspapers → des bureaucrates oisifs qui passent leur journée à lire le journal
idle bureaucrats who spend the day reading newspapers → des bureaucrates oisifs qui passent leur journée à lire le journal
(= unemployed) → au chômage
[factory, machinery] → au repos
to lie idle [factory, machinery] → rester à l'arrêt
to stand idle [factory, machinery] → demeurer à l'arrêt
to lie idle [factory, machinery] → rester à l'arrêt
to stand idle [factory, machinery] → demeurer à l'arrêt
(= inconsequential) [question, pleasures] → vain(e), futile; [talk, gossip] → oiseux/euse; [threat] → vain(e)
He hasn't time for idle gossip → Il n'a pas de temps à perdre en bavardages oiseux.
This is no idle threat → Ce n'est pas une vaine menace.
an idle boast → une fanfaronnade
His statement isn't merely an idle boast → Sa déclaration n'est pas qu'une fanfaronnade.
idle curiosity → simple curiosité
out of idle curiosity → par simple curiosité
He hasn't time for idle gossip → Il n'a pas de temps à perdre en bavardages oiseux.
This is no idle threat → Ce n'est pas une vaine menace.
an idle boast → une fanfaronnade
His statement isn't merely an idle boast → Sa déclaration n'est pas qu'une fanfaronnade.
idle curiosity → simple curiosité
out of idle curiosity → par simple curiosité
vi [engine] → tourner au ralenti
to idle away one's time → passer son temps à ne rien faire
to idle away the time → passer le temps
He idled the time away in dreamy thought → Il passait le temps à rêver.
idle away
vt septo idle away one's time → passer son temps à ne rien faire
to idle away the time → passer le temps
He idled the time away in dreamy thought → Il passait le temps à rêver.
idle
adj
(= not working) person → müßig, untätig; moment → ruhig; the idle rich → die reichen Müßiggänger; in my idle moments → in ruhigen or stillen Augenblicken; idle life → faules Leben; idle money, money lying idle → totes or brachliegendes Kapital; we don’t want to let the money lie idle → wir wollen das Geld nicht ungenutzt liegen lassen; his car was lying idle most of the time → sein Auto stand meistens unbenutzt herum
(in industry) person → unbeschäftigt; machine → stillstehend attr, → stillliegend attr, → außer Betrieb; 500 men have been made idle by the strike → durch den Streik mussten 500 Leute ihre Arbeit einstellen; the whole factory stood idle → die ganze Fabrik hatte die Arbeit eingestellt; the machine stood idle → die Maschine stand still or arbeitete nicht or war außer Betrieb; idle capacity → freie or brachliegende Kapazität
promise, threat, words → leer; speculation, talk → müßig; remark → beiläufig; idle boast → bloße Angeberei; idle curiosity → pure or bloße Neugier; idle fear → grundlose or unbegründete Angst; idle wish → Wunschtraum m; the idle pleasures of this worldly life → die eitlen Vergnügungen dieses Erdenlebens
idle [ˈaɪdl]
idle [ˈaɪdl]
1. adj (-r (comp) (-st (superl)))
a. (lazy, student) → pigro/a, poltrone/a; (inactive, machine, factory, workers) → inattivo/a; (unemployed, worker) → disoccupato/a
the idle rich → i ricchi sfaccendati
in my idle moments → nei miei momenti liberi
an idle life → una vita d'ozio
to stand or lie idle (factory, machine) → rimaner fermo/a or inattivo/a
the idle rich → i ricchi sfaccendati
in my idle moments → nei miei momenti liberi
an idle life → una vita d'ozio
to stand or lie idle (factory, machine) → rimaner fermo/a or inattivo/a
2. vi (person) → oziare; (engine) → girare al minimo
idle away vt + adv (time) → sprecare, buttar via
idle [ˈaɪdl]
1. adj (-r (comp) (-st (superl)))
a. (lazy, student) → pigro/a, poltrone/a; (inactive, machine, factory, workers) → inattivo/a; (unemployed, worker) → disoccupato/a
the idle rich → i ricchi sfaccendati
in my idle moments → nei miei momenti liberi
an idle life → una vita d'ozio
to stand or lie idle (factory, machine) → rimaner fermo/a or inattivo/a
the idle rich → i ricchi sfaccendati
in my idle moments → nei miei momenti liberi
an idle life → una vita d'ozio
to stand or lie idle (factory, machine) → rimaner fermo/a or inattivo/a
2. vi (person) → oziare; (engine) → girare al minimo
idle away vt + adv (time) → sprecare, buttar via
adj idle [ˈaidl]
1 not working; not in use ships lying idle in the harbour. ongebruik بلا عَمَل، عاطِل незает nečinný uvirksom; ude af drift unnütz αργόσχολος, άπρακτος, αχρησιμοποίητος parado, inactivo jõude بلا استفاده toimeton au repos מוּשְבַּת מִפּעִילוּת बेकार, खाली besposlen nem működő menganggur aðgerðalaus; ekki í notkun inattivo 使われていない 사용하지 않는 be darbo, nenaudingas dīks; nenodarbināts menganggur inactief, ongebruikt ledig, ubeskjeftiget bezczynny inactivo inactiv; degeaba простаивающий nečinný neizkoriščen nepomičan oanvänd, overksam, ur drift เกียจคร้าน boş, işlemeyen, kullanılmaz 閑著的 непрацюючий, простоюючий بے کار nhàn rỗi 闲着的
2 lazy He has work to do, but he's idle and just sits around. ledig كَسول мързелив líný doven faul τεμπέλης perezoso, vago, holgazán, gandul laisk تنبل laiska fainéant עֲצלָן आलसी, सुस्त lijen henye malas latur pigro, ozioso のらくらしている 게으른 tingus slinks; laisks malas lui lat, doven leniwy desocupado leneş ленивый lenivý len lenj lat เกียจคร้าน tembel 懶散的 лінивий; бездіяльний کاہل lười nhác 懒散的
3 having no effect or result idle threats. ongegronde بلا جَدْوى، بلا فائِدَه безрезултатен marný tom; indholdsløs vergeblich κενός, ανούσιος, αναποτελεσματικός vano, inútil tühi بیهوده tyhjä vain סְרָק कोरी धमकी इत्यादि neproduktivan üres hampa, sia-sia gagnslaus; innantómur vano むだな 효과가 없는 tuščias tukšs sia-sia loos tom, innholdsløs próżny vão van бесполезный márny, planý prazen prazan resultatlös, fruktlös, tom ซึ่งยังไม่ได้ใช้การ temelsiz, boş 無效的 марний خالی vô dụng 无效的
4 unnecessary; without good reason or foundation idle fears; idle gossip. ongegronde لا أساس لَه، لا مُبرِّر له ненужен zbytečný grundløs nutzlos αβάσιμος, άσκοπος, άχρηστος vano; infundado põhjendamatu بی اساس perusteeton sans fondement, futile חֲסַר בָּסִיס फिजूल beznačajan haszontalan tanpa alasan ástæðulaus futile, inutile 根拠のない 불필요한 tuščias, nepagrįstas nepamatots tanpa alasan yang kukuh ongegrond grunnløs bezpodstawny vão fără temei; inutil напрасный zbytočný prazen zaludan löst [] ซึ่งไร้สาระ asılsız, aslı astarı olmayan 不必要的，無根據的 пустий, безґрунтовний بے مقصد không căn cứ 无根据的
v
1 to be idle or do nothing On holiday they just idled from morning till night. leegloop, rondloop يَتَكاسَل، يَقضي وقتَه دون أن يَفْعَل شَيْئا в покой zahálet dovne faulenzen χασομερώ, τεμπελιάζω holgazanear, gandulear, haraganear laisklema تنبلی کردن؛ ول گشتن olla jouten paresser בָּטֵל कुछ नहीं करना ljenčariti henyél menganggur vera iðjulaus; slæpast oziare ぶらぶらする (시간을) 헛되이 보내다 tinginiauti slinkot; slaistīties tak buat apa-apa nietsdoen drive omkring próżnować preguiçar a trândăvi бездельничать zaháľať lenariti besposličiti lata sig ปล่อยเวลาให้เสียไปโดยเปล่าประโยชน์ aylak aylak dolaşmak 無所事事 ледарювати وقت گزاری کرنا không làm gì 无所事事
2 of an engine etc, to run gently without doing any work They kept the car engine idling while they checked their position with the map. luier يَتَحَرَّك بِبُطء دون أن يَعْمَل празен ход běžet naprázdno gå i tomgang leer laufen δουλεύω στο ρελαντί (π.χ. για μηχανή) funcionar en vacío tühikäigul käima در جا کار کردن käydä joutokäyntiä (faire) tourner au ralenti סְרָק निष्क्रिय mirovanje üresen jár (gép) tidak dijalankan í lausagangi (girare al minimo) 空回りする (기계, 엔진 등을) 공전시키다 dirbti tuščiąja eiga strādāt tukšgaitā (par motoru) melahu stationair draaien gå på tomgang chodzić na wolnych obrotach rodar a merge în ralanti работать вхолостую bežať naprázdno biti v prostem teku, teči v prazno raditi u praznom hodu gå på tomgång ปล่อยเวลาให้เสียไปโดยเปล่าประโยชน์ rölantide çalışmak (引擎等)空轉 простоювати بغری بڑھے حرکت کرتے رہنا chạy không （发动机等）空转
n idler
a lazy person. leegloper كَسول мързел lenoch dovenlas der/die Faulenzer(in) αργόσχολος, χασομέρης perezoso, gandul, holgazán, vago laiskvorst آدم تنبل laiskuri paresseux/-euse בַּטלָן आलसी ljenčina naplopó pemalas letingi, iðjuleysingi ozioso, pigro 怠け者 게으름쟁이 tinginys dīkdienis; slaists pemalas leegloper lathans, dagdriver próżniak preguiçoso leneş лентяй leňoch lenuh, brezdelnež lenjivac dagdrivare, lätting คนเกียจคร้าน tembel kişi, avare, aylak 懶惰的人 нероба, ледар کاہل شخص người lười nhác 懒汉
n idleness
ledigheid تَعَطُّل، كَسَل، تَكاسُل мързеливост lenost dovenskab die Faulheit αργία, απραξία ociosidad, gandulería, holgazanería jõudeolek تنبلی toimettomuus paresse בַּטָלָה आलस्य beskorisnost semmittevés kemalasan leti; iðjuleysi ozio, pigrizia 怠惰 빈둥거림 darbo nebuvimas, tinginiavimas dīkdienība; laiskums kemalasan luiheid lediggang, latskap bezczynność preguiça lene, trândăvie праздность lenivosť lenoba nepomičnost sysslolöshet, lathet ความเกียจคร้าน tembellik, aylaklık 遊手好閑 лінощі, ледарство کاہلیت sự lười nhác 游手好闲
adv idly
ledig بِتَكاسُل лениво líně dovent faul τεμπέλικα ociosamente laisalt با تنبلی laiskasti paresseusement בְּבַטָלָה लक्ष्यहीन रूप से beskorisno dologtalanul dengan malas letilega oziosamente, pigramente のらくらして 빈둥거리며 tingiai, tuščiai dīkdienīgi; laiski sahaja lui, werkloos uvirksomt bezczynnie preguiçosamente leneş лениво lenivo leno nepomično sysslolöst อย่างเกียจคร้าน tembelce, aylakça 懶散地 ліниво; марно کاہلی سے một cách lười biếng 懒散地
idle away
to spend (time) doing nothing idling the hours away. rondsit يَقضي وَقَتَه بلا عَمَل губя си времето prolenošit drive væk vertrödeln χασομερώ desperdiciar, perder, malgastar aega raiskama به بطالت گذراندن laiskotella perdre son temps לְהִתבַּטֵל समय नष्ट करना tratiti vrijeme semmittevéssel tölti az idejét buang-buang waktu sóa, eyða sprecare (nell'ozio) ぶらぶらする 헛되이 보내다 tuščiai leisti notriekt laiku [] membuang-buang masa verdoen kaste/sløse bort trwonić desperdiçar a-şi pierde timpul растрачивать впустую preleňošiť zapravljati čas dokoličiti slösa bort อย่างเอ้อระเหย boşa harcamak, ziyan etmek 虛度 марнувати час وقت گزارنا lãng phí thời gian 虚度
idle → عَاطِل nečinný ledig untätig αδρανής ocioso joutilas oisif besposlen pigro 何もしない 놀고 있는 inactief uvirksom bezczynny inactivo, inativo бесполезный sysslolös เกียจคร้าน boş nhàn rỗi 懒惰的
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