idle
idle
Pronunciation
IPA for "idle": /ˈaɪd(ə)l/ (This is for most American and Canadian dialects)
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
First syllable (ˈaɪ):
/ˈ/: This symbol indicates primary stress on the first syllable.
/aɪ/: This is a diphthong sound, a combination of two vowel sounds pronounced together.
/a/: Similar to the "a" in "father"
/ɪ/: Similar to the "i" in "fit"
Second syllable (d(ə)l):
/d/: Voiced alveolar plosive consonant, similar to the "d" in "dog"
/(ə)/: Schwa sound, a very short, central vowel sound. This sound can sometimes be omitted in casual speech.
/l/: Voiced alveolar fricative consonant, similar to the "l" in "lake"
Word Form Variations
The word "idle" itself doesn't have variations for singular and plural because it's not a noun referring to countable objects. It functions as an adjective and an adverb.
Here's a breakdown of the word forms related to "idle":
Adjective:
This is the most common form, describing something that's not working, inactive, or unproductive. (e.g., "The factory is idle due to lack of materials.")
Adverb:
"Idly" modifies a verb and means to do something without a purpose or in a casual way. (e.g., "We chatted idly while waiting for the bus.")
Related Nouns:
"Idleness" is the noun form referring to the state of being idle or inactive. (e.g., "Long periods of idleness can lead to boredom.")
"Idler" is a less common noun referring to someone who habitually avoids work or is unproductive. (e.g., He was criticised for being an idler.)
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Adjective:
Definition: Not working, inactive, or in use. (e.g., The idle factory stood silent on the outskirts of town.)
Synonyms: inoperative, inactive, unused, unoccupied, unemployed, stagnant, passive, inert
Antonyms: active, working, operational, busy, employed, in use, functioning
Adverb:
Definition: In a way that lacks purpose, direction, or seriousness. (e.g., She doodled idly on her notebook while listening to the lecture.)
Synonyms: aimlessly, purposelessly, listlessly, casually, carelessly, inattentively
Antonyms: purposefully, deliberately, intently, attentively, seriously
Nouns (Less Common):
Idleness (noun): The state of being idle, inactive, or unproductive. (e.g., The long summer days brought a sense of idleness to the town.)
Synonyms: inactivity, inaction, stagnation, lethargy, boredom
Antonyms: activity, busyness, productivity, engagement, diligence
Idler (noun): (Less common) Someone who habitually avoids work or is unproductive. (e.g., He was known as an idler, always shirking his responsibilities.)
Synonyms: loafer, slacker, drone, sluggard
Antonyms: hard worker, go-getter, achiever, diligent person
Examples of Use
Adjective:
Book: "The once bustling marketplace now stood idle, a testament to the economic downturn." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings)
Newspaper: "The government is urging businesses to invest in green technology to avoid leaving factories idle." (The New York Times)
Online Publication: "A recent study suggests that long periods of idle screen time can negatively impact mental health." (Psychology Today)
Entertainment (Movie): "Get to work, you idle ruffians!" (Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
General Discourse: "My car battery died because I left the lights idle for too long."
Adverb:
Book: "He tapped his foot idly against the floor, waiting impatiently for her reply." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
Newspaper: "The protesters idly scrolled through their phones as they waited for the rally to begin." (The Washington Post)
Online Publication: "Many social media users spend hours scrolling idly through feeds, consuming information passively." (Wired)
Entertainment (TV Show): "Relax, Sheldon, you're worrying yourself idle." (Leonard to Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory)
General Discourse: "We chatted idly about the weather while waiting for our food to arrive."
Noun (Idleness):
Book: "Tom Sawyer found himself succumbing to the idleness of summer vacation." (Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)
Newspaper: "Concerns are rising about the potential social problems caused by increased youth idleness." (The Guardian)
General Discourse: "I need to find a productive hobby to combat the idleness of retirement."
Note: The noun "idler" is less common but can be found in historical contexts.
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Idle
"The working man is the happy man. An idle man is a withered tree in a fertile field." - Proverb (exact origin unknown)
"Idleness is the parent of mischief." - Socrates (Greek philosopher)
"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle." - Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese-American poet)
"Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears." - Erma Bombeck (American humorist)
"If a man devotes himself to art, much evil is avoided that happens otherwise if one is idle." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German polymath)
"All universal moral principles are idle fancies." - Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher)
"There is no substitute under the heavens for productive labor. It is the process by which dreams become realities. It is the process by which idle visions become dynamic achievements." - Helen Keller (American author, activist)
"It is better wither to be silent, or to say things of more value than silence." - Pythagoras (Greek philosopher)
"Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving." - Miguel de Cervantes (Spanish novelist).
"I cannot walk through the suburbs in the solitude of the night without thinking that the night pleases us because it suppresses idle details, just as our memory does." - Virginia Woolf (English novelist)
Etymology
The word "idle" has a long history, going all the way back to Old English, which was spoken over 1000 years ago! Back then, the word "idle" meant "empty" or "worthless." It was kind of like saying something was like an empty box - it had no use.
Over time, the meaning of "idle" shifted a bit. People started using it to describe things that weren't being used, like an empty factory or a car that wasn't running. This fit with the original idea of emptiness, because something that's not working isn't really fulfilling its purpose.
Then, the meaning evolved even further. People began using "idle" to describe people who weren't working or being productive. This makes sense because someone who's just sitting around is kind of like an empty box - they're not putting their energy to good use.
So, while the original meaning of "idle" was about emptiness, it has come to describe anything that's not being used or is unproductive, including people!
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Idle
Phrases:
Idle chatter: Meaningless conversation, talking without any real purpose.
Idle hands are the devil's workshop: A proverb suggesting that someone who is unemployed or unoccupied is more likely to get into trouble.
Sit idle: To do nothing, to be inactive.
Run at idle: (For machines) To operate at a low speed, not using full power.
At a loose end: To be unoccupied or without anything to do.
Idioms:
Kick up one's heels: To relax and have fun, often after a period of work or busyness. (This idiom implies someone was previously idle and is now actively enjoying themselves.)
Twiddle one's thumbs: To do nothing in particular, to be bored and unoccupied.
Eat like a bird: To eat very little, often because of a lack of appetite or excitement about the food. (This idiom can imply someone is feeling idle and unmotivated.)
Let the grass grow under one's feet: To waste time and miss opportunities by not taking action.
Lie fallow: (For land) To be left uncultivated for a period of time to allow it to recover. (This idiom can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is taking a break from work or activity to recharge.)
Posts Related to Idle
Source Information
Definition of idle from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
