Definition of 'idle'

Noun

1. the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling; "the car engine was running at idle"

Verb

1. run disconnected or idle; "the engine is idling"
      Synonyms: tick over
      Antonyms: run
2. be idle; exist in a changeless situation; "The old man sat and stagnated on his porch"; "He slugged in bed all morning"
      Synonyms: laze slug stagnate
      Antonyms: work

Adjective

1. not in action or at work; "an idle laborer"; "idle drifters"; "the idle rich"; "an idle mind"
      Antonyms: busy
2. without a basis in reason or fact; "baseless gossip"; "the allegations proved groundless"; "idle fears"; "unfounded suspicions"; "unwarranted jealousy"
      Synonyms: baseless groundless unfounded unwarranted wild
3. not in active use; "the machinery sat idle during the strike"; "idle hands"
      Synonyms: unused
4. silly or trivial; "idle pleasure"; "light banter"; "light idle chatter"
      Synonyms: light
5. lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility; "idle talk"; "a loose tongue"
      Synonyms: loose
6. not yielding a return; "dead capital"; "idle funds"
      Synonyms: dead
7. not having a job; "idle carpenters"; "jobless transients"; "many people in the area were out of work"
      Synonyms: jobless out of work

---

Get this dictionary without ads as part of the e-Tutor Virtual Learning Program.