Idle /(?)/

I·dle

Idle

a.
  1. Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren.
    Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
    — Matt. xii. 36.
    Down their idle weapons dropped.
    This idle story became important.
  2. Not called into active service; not turned to appropriate use; unemployed; as, idle hours.
    The idle spear and shield were high uphing.
  3. Not employed; unoccupied with business; inactive; doing nothing; as, idle workmen.
    Why stand ye here all the day idle?
    — Matt. xx. 6.
  4. Given rest and ease; averse to labor or employment; lazy; slothful; as, an idle fellow.
  5. Light-headed; foolish. [Obs.]

Phrases & Compounds
Idle pulley
a pulley that rests upon a belt to tighten it; a pulley that only guides a belt and is not used to transmit power.
Idle wheel
a gear wheel placed between two others, to transfer motion from one to the other without changing the direction of revolution.
In idle
in vain.

Idle

v. i.

imp. & p. p. Idled; p. pr. & vb. n. Idling

  1. To lose or spend time in inaction, or without being employed in business.

Idle

v. t.
  1. To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume; -- often followed by away; as, to idle away an hour a day.