idle: Meaning and Definition of

i•dle

1. not working or active; unemployed; doing nothing: idle workers.
2. not spent or filled with activity: idle hours.
3. not in use or operation; not kept busy: idle machinery.
4. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work; lazy.
5. of no real worth, importance, or significance: idle talk.
6. having no basis or reason; baseless; groundless: idle fears.
7. frivolous; vain: idle pleasures.
8. meaningless; senseless: idle threats.
9. futile; unavailing: idle rage.

1. to pass time doing nothing.
2. to move, loiter, or saunter aimlessly: to idle along the avenue.
3. (of a machine, engine, or mechanism) to operate at a low speed, disengaged from the load.

1. to pass (time) doing nothing (often fol. by away): to idle away the afternoon.
2. to cause (a person) to be idle: The strike idled many workers.
3. to cause (a machine, engine, or mechanism) to idle: I waited in the car while idling the engine.

1. the state or quality of being idle.
2. the state of a machine, engine, or mechanism that is idling: a cold engine that stalls at idle.