idle
not in action or at work
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,224 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 7,864 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- not in action or at work an idle laboreridle drifters
- without a basis in reason or fact also: baseless, groundless, unfounded, unwarranted, wild baseless gossipthe allegations proved groundless
- not in active use also: unused the machinery sat idle during the strikeidle hands
- silly or trivial also: light idle pleasurelight banter
- lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility also: loose idle talka loose tongue
- not yielding a return also: dead dead capitalidle funds
verb
- run disconnected or idle also: tick over the engine is idling
idle in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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This idle repose had become unendurable, he felt suffocated with pain and anger.
An Egyptian Princess — Volume 07 · Georg Ebers · Chapter 1
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That my spirit leans to thee; Thou hast been a generous giver, Take this idle song from me.
The Complete Poetical Works of Henry · Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Chapter 1
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The rich would have spoken on the value of thrift, and the idle grown eloquent over the dignity of labour.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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At high noon on the Merrimac The ancient ferryman Forgot, at times, his idle oars, So fair a freight to scan.
Pennsylvania Pilgrim, and other poems Part 6 From — Volume I · John Greenleaf Whittier · Chapter 1
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Joseph isn't an idle boy, Dan, but his nature is such that he cannot learn from a man he doesn't like.
The Brook Kerith: A Syrian story · George Moore · Chapter 1