Webster's English Dictionary

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idle

Cross references:
  1. inactive               2. vain                  
 
1. idle \'i-d-*l\ \'i-d-l*r, -*l-*r\ \'i-d-l*st, -*l-*st\ \'i-d-*l-n*s\ 
   \'i-d-le-\ aj or idler;  or idlest [ME idel, fr. OE i-del; akin to OHG 
   i-tal worthless] 1: lacking worth or basis : USELESS {~ rumor}  2: not 
   occupied or employed : as  2a: having no employment : INACTIVE {~ workmen}  
   2b: not turned to appropriate use {~ funds}  3a: TRIFLING, LAZY {~ fellows} 
    3b: having no evident lawful means of support {the charge of being an R@ 
   person} - idle.ness n
2. idle \'i-d-lin, -*l-in\ \'i-d-l*r, -*l-*r\ vb or idling 1a: to spend 
   time in idleness  1b: to move idly  2: to run disconnected so that power is 
   not used for useful work {the en gine is idling} 1: to pass in idleness  2: 
   to make idle  3: to cause to idle  - idler n