Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [ahyd-l]
- /ˈaɪd l/
- /ˈaɪ.dl̩/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [ahyd-l]
- /ˈaɪd l/
Definitions of idle word
- adjective idle not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing: idle workers. 1
- adjective idle not spent or filled with activity: idle hours. 1
- adjective idle not in use or operation; not kept busy: idle machinery. 1
- adjective idle habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy. 1
- adjective idle of no real worth, importance, or significance: idle talk. 1
- adjective idle having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless: idle fears. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of idle
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; 1915-20 for def 12; Middle English, Old English īdel (adj.) empty, trifling, vain, useless; cognate with German eitel
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Idle
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
idle popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
idle usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for idle
adj idle
- unproductive — having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.
- useless — of no use; not serving the purpose or any purpose; unavailing or futile: It is useless to reason with him.
- rambling — aimlessly wandering.
- hollow — having a space or cavity inside; not solid; empty: a hollow sphere.
- abortive — An abortive attempt or action is unsuccessful.
verb idle
- laze — to idle or lounge lazily (often followed by around): I was too tired to do anything but laze around this weekend.
- laze around — to idle or lounge lazily (often followed by around): I was too tired to do anything but laze around this weekend.
- hang around — to fasten or attach (a thing) so that it is supported only from above or at a point near its own top; suspend.
- goof off — to blunder; make an error, misjudgment, etc.
- waste — to consume, spend, or employ uselessly or without adequate return; use to no avail or profit; squander: to waste money; to waste words.
adjective idle
- inactive — not active: an inactive volcano.
- inoperative — not operative; not in operation.
- unoccupied — without occupants; empty; vacant.
- at rest — not moving; still
- off — so as to be no longer supported or attached: This button is about to come off.
Antonyms for idle
adj idle
- productive — having the power of producing; generative; creative: a productive effort.
- used — previously used or owned; secondhand: a used car.
- working — exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.
- diligent — constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything: a diligent student.
- hustling — to proceed or work rapidly or energetically: to hustle about putting a house in order.
verb idle
- fag — Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a male homosexual.
- take for a ride — to sit on and manage a horse or other animal in motion; be carried on the back of an animal.
- throw down — toss downward
adjective idle
- employed — Give work to (someone) and pay them for it.
noun idle
- conveyor — a person or thing that conveys
- transference — the act or process of transferring.
- transship — to transfer from one ship, truck, freight car, or other conveyance to another.
- freightage — the transportation of goods.
- transport — to carry, move, or convey from one place to another.
Top questions with idle
- car shakes when idle?
- what does idle means?
- what does idle mean?
- car shaking when idle?
- car overheats when idle?
- car vibrates when idle?
- car shudders when idle?
- what causes an engine to stall at idle?
- what does the idle air control valve do?
- what is idle?
- what happens when the idle air control valve goes bad?
- car stalls when idle or slowing down?
- car shaking when idle check engine light?
- how to adjust idle air control valve?
- what causes high rpm at idle?