idle

CEFRC1

/ˈaɪd(ə)l/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Not working, active, or being used.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

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

Examples

  • It is absurd to idle away the student life.

  • Some boys are diligent, others are idle.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈʌɪdəl/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.

  2. Empty, vacant.

  3. Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.

More examples

In context

  • You are idle to the bone.

  • My computer hibernates after it has been idle for 30 minutes.

  • idle workmen

Synonyms

Quick test

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Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel, from Proto-West Germanic *īdal, from Proto-Germanic *īdalaz. 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).