Idle meaning

What does “idle” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“idle” is a noun, verb and adjective with 10 meanings. Its most common meaning is: the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling.

idle

the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
“the car engine was running at idle”

run disconnected or idle
“the engine is idling”
Synonymstick over
Oppositesrun
be idle; exist in a changeless situation
“The old man sat and stagnated on his porch”
“He slugged in bed all morning”
Synonymslaze slug stagnate
Oppositeswork

not in action or at work
“an idle laborer”
“idle drifters”
Oppositesbusy
without a basis in reason or fact
“baseless gossip”
“the allegations proved groundless”
Synonymsbaseless groundless unfounded unwarranted wild
not in active use
“the machinery sat idle during the strike”
“idle hands”
Synonymsunused
silly or trivial
“idle pleasure”
“light banter”
Synonymslight
lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility
“idle talk”
“a loose tongue”
Synonymsloose
not yielding a return
“dead capital”
“idle funds”
Synonymsdead
not having a job
“idle carpenters”
“jobless transients”
Synonymsjobless out of work

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University