idle

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

• īʹd(ə)l
  Play
• /ˈaɪd(ə)l/
  Play
• /ˈʌɪdəl/ Canada, idle-idol split
  Play
• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  Play
• rhymes with -aɪdəl
  Play
• homophone: idol
  Play
• homophone: idyll
  Play
• homophone: idyl (US pronunciation)
  Play
• CMU ARPABET: AY1 D AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  Play

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel, from Proto-West Germanic *īdl, from Proto-Germanic *īdlaz. Cognate with Dutch ijdel (“vain, meaningless”), ijl (“rareified, skinny”), iel (“thin, slender”); German Low German iedel (“vain, idle”); German eitel (“vain, conceited”); and possibly Old Norse illr ("bad"; > English ill).

From Middle English idel, ydel, from Old English īdel (“idleness”), from the adjective (see above).

From Middle English idelen, from Old English īdlian, from Proto-West Germanic *īdlēn. Cognate with German eiteln (“to make empty, free up”).

250 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Afrikaans: onaktief — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Bulgarian: безде́ен (bezdéen) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Catalan: inactiu — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Catalan: ociós — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Chinese Cantonese: 閒置嘅 /闲置嘅 (haan4 zi3 ge3) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Chinese Cantonese: 得閒嘅 /得闲嘅 (dak1 haan4 ge3) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Czech: volný — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Dutch: inactief — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Esperanto: senokupa — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Finnish: joutilas — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Finnish: luppo — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Finnish: luppoaika — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Galician: inactivo — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Galician: folgado — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Galician: lorán — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• German: ungenutzt — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• German: Mußezeit — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• German: Totzeit — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Greek: αδρανής (adranís) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Ingrian: joutava — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Italian: ozioso — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Italian: inattivo — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Latin: deses — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Middle English: ydel — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Occitan: estaire — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Occitan: desocupat — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Occitan: inactiu — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Occitan: ociós — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Persian: تلفشده (talaf-šode) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Persian: بیکار (bikâr) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Persian: بیکاری (bikâri) — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Portuguese: vazio — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Portuguese: inapropriado — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Portuguese: desocupado — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Portuguese: inutilizável — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Scottish Gaelic: dìomhain — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Spanish: desocupado — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Spanish: ocioso — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Turkish: aylak — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Turkish: boş — not turned to appropriate use, not occupied, of time with little activity
• Arabic: عَاطِل عَن اَلْعَمَل (ʕāṭil ʕan al-ʕamal) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Asturian: folgosu — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Bulgarian: неза́ет (nezáet) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Bulgarian: безрабо́тен (bezrabóten) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Catalan: desocupat — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Catalan: aturat — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Chinese Mandarin: 閒 /闲 (xián) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Czech: nečinný — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Dutch: nietsdoend — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Finnish: joutilas — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Finnish: toimeton — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• French: oisif — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Galician: mandrugueiro — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Galician: baldeiro — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Galician: desempregado — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Georgian: დაუსაქმებელი (dausakmebeli) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Georgian: უმუშევარი (umuševari) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• German: untätig — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• German: müßig — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Greek: άνεργος (ánergos) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Ancient Greek: ἀργός (argós) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Hungarian: tétlen — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Indonesian: gabut — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Ingrian: joutava — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Irish: díomhaoin — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Italian: ozioso — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Italian: disoccupato — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Italian: inattivo — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Japanese: 暇な (hima na) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Korean: 게으르다 (geeureuda) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Latin: ōtiōsus — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Māori: paeko — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Middle English: ydel — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Norwegian: arbeidsløs — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Occitan: ociós — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Occitan: desobrat — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Persian: بیکار (bikâr) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Polish: próżny — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Polish: bezczynny — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Portuguese: ocioso — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Portuguese: desocupado — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Portuguese: desempregado — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Quechua: qilla — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Russian: неза́нятый (nezánjatyj) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Scottish Gaelic: dìomhain — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Spanish: ocioso — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Swedish: overksam — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Thai: ว่างงาน (wâang-ngaan) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Tocharian B: ālase — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Turkish: boş — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Turkish: atıl — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Turkish: aylak — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Turkish: avare — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Ottoman Turkish: كارسز (kârsız) — not engaged in any occupation or employment
• Afrikaans: werksku — averse to work or labor
• Belarusian: ляні́вы (ljanívy) — averse to work or labor
• Bulgarian: лени́в (lenív) — averse to work or labor
• Bulgarian: мързели́в (mǎrzelív) — averse to work or labor
• Catalan: gandul — averse to work or labor
• Catalan: dropo — averse to work or labor
• Chinese Cantonese: 懶散嘅 /懒散嘅 (laan5 saan2 ge3) — averse to work or labor
• Chinese Cantonese: 懶惰嘅 /懒惰嘅 (laan5 do6 ge3) — averse to work or labor
• Czech: líný — averse to work or labor
• Finnish: laiska — averse to work or labor
• French: inactif — averse to work or labor
• French: fainéant — averse to work or labor
• Galician: lacazán — averse to work or labor
• Galician: nugallán — averse to work or labor
• Galician: preguiceiro — averse to work or labor
• Galician: lorán — averse to work or labor
• Galician: galfarro — averse to work or labor
• Galician: langrán — averse to work or labor
• Galician: gallofeiro — averse to work or labor
• Galician: camanduleiro — averse to work or labor
• Galician: mandrugueiro — averse to work or labor
• Galician: calaceiro — averse to work or labor
• Georgian: უსაქმური (usakmuri) — averse to work or labor
• Georgian: უმაქნისი (umaknisi) — averse to work or labor
• Georgian: მცონარა (mconara) — averse to work or labor
• Georgian: უქნარა (uknara) — averse to work or labor
• German: faul — averse to work or labor
• German: arbeitsscheu — averse to work or labor
• Greek: οκνηρός (oknirós) — averse to work or labor
• Greek: άεργος (áergos) — averse to work or labor
• Ingrian: laiska — averse to work or labor
• Italian: pigro — averse to work or labor
• Italian: indolente — averse to work or labor
• Italian: ozioso — averse to work or labor
• Italian: infingardo — averse to work or labor
• Latin: ōtiōsus — averse to work or labor
• Macedonian: мрзлив (mrzliv) — averse to work or labor
• Māori: paeko — averse to work or labor
• Middle English: ydel — averse to work or labor
• Occitan: canhós — averse to work or labor
• Occitan: pigre — averse to work or labor
• Polish: leniwy — averse to work or labor
• Portuguese: preguiçoso — averse to work or labor
• Portuguese: vagabundo — averse to work or labor
• Russian: лени́вый (lenívyj) — averse to work or labor
• Scottish Gaelic: dìomhain — averse to work or labor
• Scottish Gaelic: leisg — averse to work or labor
• Slovak: lenivý — averse to work or labor
• Spanish: vagabundo — averse to work or labor
• Turkish: avare — averse to work or labor
• Turkish: aylak — averse to work or labor
• Ottoman Turkish: تنبل (tembel) — averse to work or labor
• Ottoman Turkish: هایلاز (haylaz) — averse to work or labor
• Ukrainian: ліни́вий (linývyj) — averse to work or labor
• Ukrainian: леда́чий (ledáčyj) — averse to work or labor
• Afrikaans: nutteloos — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Bulgarian: напра́зен (naprázen) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Bulgarian: безполе́зен (bezpolézen) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Chinese Cantonese: 無謂 /无谓 (mou4 wai6) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Chinese Cantonese: 冇意義嘅 /冇意义嘅 (mou5 ji3 ji6 ge3) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Chinese Cantonese: 唔重要嘅 (m4 zung6 jiu3 ge3) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Czech: nepotřebný — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Czech: neužitečný — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Dutch: nutteloos — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Esperanto: vana — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Finnish: joutava — of no importance, worthless, useless
• French: oiseux — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Galician: mandriolas — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Galician: galavardo — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Galician: estreloxo — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Galician: vao — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Galician: valuto — of no importance, worthless, useless
• German: nutzlos — of no importance, worthless, useless
• German: müßig — of no importance, worthless, useless
• German: überflüssig — of no importance, worthless, useless
• German: belanglos — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Greek: άχρηστος (áchristos) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Greek: ανώφελος (anófelos) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Ingrian: joutava — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Italian: inutile — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Italian: vano — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Middle English: ydel — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Persian: الکی (alaki) — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Portuguese: inútil — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Portuguese: imprestável — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Portuguese: vão — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Scottish Gaelic: dìomhain — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Turkish: boş — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Turkish: önemsiz — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Turkish: değersiz — of no importance, worthless, useless
• Afrikaans: hanna-hanna — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Czech: mrhat — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Finnish: tuhlata — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Finnish: haaskata — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Galician: lacazanear — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Greek: αδρανώ (adranó) — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Hebrew: אבטלה (avtalah) — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Italian: perdere tempo — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Italian: girare a vuoto — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Italian: sprecare tempo — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Italian: sciupare nell'ozio — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Polish: bimbać — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Polish: przebimbać — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Scottish Gaelic: caith — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Turkish: boşa harcamak — transitive: to spend in idleness, to waste
• Afrikaans: hanna-hanna — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Bulgarian: безделнича (bezdelniča) — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Bulgarian: лентяйствам (lentjajstvam) — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Catalan: vagarejar — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Catalan: vagar — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Czech: zahálet — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: olla joutilaana — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: olla vapaalla — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: maleksia — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: laiskotella — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: idlailla — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Finnish: idlata — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• French: fainéanter — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Galician: ouvear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Greek: τεμπελιάζω (tempeliázo) — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Hebrew: אבטלה (avtalah) — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Hungarian: henyél — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Italian: oziare — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Māori: whakapateko — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Māori: whakapāeko — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Polish: bimbać — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Polish: przebimbać — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Portuguese: perder tempo — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Russian: безде́льничать (bezdélʹničatʹ) — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: vaguear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: holgazanear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: golfear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: flojear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: haraganear — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Spanish: holgar — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Swahili: zembea — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Turkish: oyalanmak — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Turkish: aylaklık etmek — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Vietnamese: không hoạt động — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Vietnamese: ngồi không — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Vietnamese: đứng không — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Vietnamese: nằm không — intransitive: to lose or spend time doing nothing
• Afrikaans: luier — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Bulgarian: работя на празен ход (rabotja na prazen hod) — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Finnish: olla joutokäynnillä — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• French: tourner au ralenti — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• French: être/tourner au point mort — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Italian: girare al minimo — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Italian: in folle — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Spanish: marchar al ralentí — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Spanish: andar en vacío — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Spanish: marchar en mínimum — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Spanish: andar al mínimo — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Spanish: estar ralentizado — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Swedish: gå på tomgång — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear
• Turkish: boşta çalışmak — to run at a slow speed, or out of gear