B2adjective · rare

idle

idle · more idle · most idle

ледачий, лінивий

ленивый, незанятый

müßig, faul, ungenutzt, überflüssig

Not being used appropriatelyNot being used appropriately; not occupied; (of time) with no, no important, or not much activity.

ⓘ

/ˈaɪd(ə)l/

» I don't engage in idle speculation.

Meaning

6 senses

Not being used appropriately; not occupied; (of time) with no, no important, or not much activity.
idle hours
My computer hibernates after it has been idle for 30 minutes.
ungenutzt, Mußezeit, Totzeit
Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.
idle workmen
untätig, müßig
неза́нятыйnezánjatyj
Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
an idle fellow
faul, arbeitsscheu
лени́выйlenívyj
ліни́вийlinývyj, леда́чийledáčyj
Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.
an idle story; idle talk; idle rumor; idle threats; idle pleasures
nutzlos, müßig, überflüssig
(obsolete)Empty, vacant.
(obsolete)Light-headed; foolish.

More definitions

not in active use
not in action or at work
not having a job
lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility

Examples

116 sentences

I don't engage in idle speculation.
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An idle brain is the devil's workshop.
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Tom is not an idle boy any longer.
ruТом больше не лентяй.
deTom ist nicht länger ein untätiger Junge.
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I regret having been idle in my youth.
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The machines are idle now.
deDie Maschinen stehen jetzt still.
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Translations

9 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

averse to work or labor:

Русский

By meaning 2

not engaged in any occupation or employment:

averse to work or labor:

Deutsch

By meaning 4

not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity:

not engaged in any occupation or employment:

averse to work or labor:

of no importance, worthless, useless:

Origin

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel, from Proto-West Germanic *īdl, from

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel, from Proto-West Germanic *īdl, from Proto-Germanic *īdlaz. Cognate with Dutch ijdel (“vain, meaningless”), ijl (“rareified, skinny”), iel (“thin, slender”); German Low German iedel (“vain, idle”); German eitel (“vain, conceited”); and possibly Old Norse illr ("bad"; > English ill).

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Forms

more idle, most idle

Comparative	more idle Lesson
Superlative	most idle Lesson

regular

Synonyms

184 synonyms

bareB1 dullB1 inertB2 latentC1 passiveB1 silentB1 sedentaryC1 slowA1 unemployedB1 unoccupiedC1 antediluvianC2 antiquatedC1 antiqueB2 backwardB2

Close in meaning

not in active use:unused
not having a job:jobless out of work
lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility:loose
silly or trivial:light
not yielding a return:dead
without a basis in reason or fact:baseless groundless unfounded unwarranted wild

Antonyms

1 antonyms

busy

Word family

20 related words

Lessons for this word

2 lessons

A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form