i·dle
adjective: idle
comparative adjective: idler
superlative adjective: idlest
- (of a person) avoiding work; lazy.
- (of a person) not working; unemployed.
- (especially of a machine or factory) not active or in use.
- (of time) characterized by inaction or absence of significant activity.
- (of money) held in cash or in accounts paying no interest.
- without purpose or effect; pointless.
- (especially of a threat or boast) without foundation.
verb: idle
3rd person present: idles
past tense: idled
past participle: idled
gerund or present participle: idling
- spend time doing nothing.
- move aimlessly or lazily.
- North American
take out of use or employment.
- (of an engine) run slowly while disconnected from a load or out of gear.
- cause (an engine) to idle.
Origin
Old English īdel ‘empty, useless’, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch ijdel ‘vain, frivolous, useless’ and German eitel ‘bare, worthless’.