'Idler' definitions:
Definition of 'idler'
(from WordNet)
noun
Definition of 'Idler'
From: GCIDE
- Idler \I"dler\, n.
- 1. One who idles; one who spends his time in inaction; a lazy person; a sluggard. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Naut.) One who has constant day duties on board ship, and keeps no regular watch. --Totten. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Mach.) An idle wheel or pulley. See under Idle. Idless
Definition of 'Idler'
From: GCIDE
- Idle \I"dle\, a. [Compar. Idler; superl. Idlest.] [OE. idel, AS. [imac]del vain, empty, useless; akin to OS. [imac]dal, D. ijdel, OHG. [imac]tal vain, empty, mere, G. eitel, Dan. & Sw. idel mere, pure, and prob. to Gr. ? clear, pure, ? to burn. Cf. Ether.]
- 1. Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren. "Deserts idle." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. --Matt. xii. 36. [1913 Webster]
- Down their idle weapons dropped. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- This idle story became important. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Not called into active service; not turned to appropriate use; unemployed; as, idle hours. [1913 Webster]
- The idle spear and shield were high uphing. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 3. Not employed; unoccupied with business; inactive; doing nothing; as, idle workmen. [1913 Webster]
- Why stand ye here all the day idle? --Matt. xx. 6. [1913 Webster]
- 4. Given rest and ease; averse to labor or employment; lazy; slothful; as, an idle fellow. [1913 Webster]
- 5. Light-headed; foolish. [Obs.] --Ford. [1913 Webster]
- Idle pulley (Mach.), 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 (Mach.), 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. [Obs.] "God saith, thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in idle." --Chaucer.
- Syn: Unoccupied; unemployed; vacant; inactive; indolent; sluggish; slothful; useless; ineffectual; futile; frivolous; vain; trifling; unprofitable; unimportant.
- Usage: Idle, Indolent, Lazy. A propensity to inaction is expressed by each of these words; they differ in the cause and degree of this characteristic. Indolent denotes an habitual love to ease, a settled dislike of movement or effort; idle is opposed to busy, and denotes a dislike of continuous exertion. Lazy is a stronger and more contemptuous term than indolent. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'idler'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- Arab,
- beach bum,
- beachcomber,
- beggar,
- bo,
- bum,
- bummer,
- bungler,
- clock watcher,
- dallier,
- dawdle,
- dawdler,
- diddler,
- dillydallier,
- disregarder,
- do-nothing,
- dodger,
- dogie,
- dolittle,
- doodler,
- drone,
- faineant,
- gamin,
- gamine,
- gentleman of leisure,
- goldbrick,
- goldbricker,
- goof-off,
- guttersnipe,
- hobo,
- homeless waif,
- ignorer,
- laggard,
- landloper,
- lazybones,
- lazzarone,
- lingerer,
- loafer,
- loiterer,
- loller,
- losel,
- lotus-eater,
- lounge lizard,
- lounger,
- lubber,
- malingerer,
- mope,
- moper,
- mudlark,
- neglecter,
- negligent,
- piker,
- potterer,
- procrastinator,
- putterer,
- ragamuffin,
- ragman,
- ragpicker,
- rounder,
- shirker,
- ski bum,
- slacker,
- slouch,
- sloucher,
- sloven,
- slug,
- slugabed,
- sluggard,
- slut,
- stick-in-the-mud,
- stiff,
- stray,
- street Arab,
- street urchin,
- sundowner,
- surf bum,
- swagman,
- swagsman,
- tatterdemalion,
- tennis bum,
- time killer,
- time waster,
- tramp,
- trifler,
- turnpiker,
- urchin,
- vag,
- vagabond,
- vagrant,
- waif,
- waifs and strays,
- waiter on Providence,
- wastrel