Meaning of 'idle'

adjective

not in active use

Example: "the machinery sat idle during the strike"

Synonyms: unused

adjective

not in action or at work

Example: "an idle laborer"

adjective

not having a job

Example: "idle carpenters"

Synonyms: jobless out of work

adjective

not yielding a return

Synonyms: dead

adjective

lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility

Example: "idle talk"

Synonyms: loose

adjective

silly or trivial

Example: "idle pleasure"

Synonyms: light

adjective

without a basis in reason or fact

Synonyms: wild

noun

the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling

Example: "the car engine was running at idle"

verb

run disconnected or idle

Synonyms: tick over

verb

be idle

Synonyms: slug