| 释义 |
idle
I. \ˈīdəl\ adjective
(idler \-d(ə)lə(r)\ ; idlest \-d(ə)lə̇st\)
Etymology: Middle English idel (also, empty, void), from Old English īdel; akin to Old Frisian īdel empty, worthless, vain, Old Saxon īdal, Old High German ītal
1.
a. : lacking worth or basis : leading to nothing : groundless, useless
< idle theorizing >
< an idle rumor >
< it would be idle to argue further >
b. : having no particular reason for existing or occurring : light, casual, and superficial
< idle chatter >
< took an idle glance about >
< asked out of idle curiosity >
2.
a. : not occupied or employed: as
(1) of a person : having no employment or business : unemployed
< closed factories and idle workmen >
(2) of a period of time : marked by want of activity especially of a useful or constructive nature : wasted
< passed his idle days in sloth >
< that idle hour just before dusk >
(3) of a thing : not turned to normal or appropriate use
< idle tenements >
: not called into active service
< idle capital >
b.
(1) : given to rest or ease : seeking to avoid labor or employment : trifling, lazy, slothful
< a careless idle worker >
< idle boys playing in the streets >
(2) : having no regular occupation or evident lawful means of support
< answer to the charge of being an idle person >
(3) : idling
< an engine running at fast idle speed >
3. now dialect England
a. : lightheaded, foolish
b. : mischievous
Synonyms: see inactive, vain
II. verb
(idled ; idled ; idling \-d(ə)liŋ\ ; idles)
intransitive verb
1. : to lose or spend time in idleness
< idling in the garden >
especially : to move idly
< idled along the stream bank >
2. : to run disconnected or unloaded so that power is not used for external or useful work — used especially of a motor, engine, pulley wheel
transitive verb
1. : to spend (as time) in idleness — often used with away
< idling away a pleasant summer day >
2. : to make or leave idle
< cutbacks in orders that idled thousands of workers >
< the common cold idles more people than any other disease >
3. : to cause to idle
< idle a motor >
III. noun
(-s)
Etymology: idle (II)
: an act or instance or the state of idling
< an engine running at idle > |