Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The condition of being idle, in any sense of that word; inactivity; slothfulness; uselessness; unprofitableness; worthlessness; foolishness.
- noun Synonyms See
idle .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The condition or quality of being idle (in the various senses of that word); uselessness; fruitlessness; triviality; inactivity; laziness.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The state of being
idle ;inactivity . - noun The state of being
indolent ;indolence - noun
Groundlessness ;worthlessness ;triviality .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the quality of lacking substance or value
- noun the trait of being idle out of a reluctance to work
- noun having no employment
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word idleness.
Examples
-
They may produce what they call idleness now, and a great deal of vexation and suffering.
-
There we all clambered out to stretch cramped muscles and make a fire to cook the hippo's tongue, Coutlass cursing us for letting what he called idleness come between us and revenge.
-
There we all clambered out to stretch cramped muscles and make a fire to cook the hippo's tongue, Coutlass cursing us for letting what he called idleness come between us and revenge.
-
There is a grossness in the conceptions of my countrymen; they will not be convinced that any good thing may consist with what they call idleness; they can anticipate nothing but evil of a young man who neither studies physic, law, nor gospel, nor opens a store, nor takes to farming, but manifests an incomprehensible disposition to be satisfied with what his father left him.
-
There is a grossness in the conceptions of my countrymen; they will not be convinced that any good thing may consist with what they call idleness; they can anticipate nothing but evil of a young man who neither studies physic, law, nor gospel, nor opens a store, nor takes to farming, but manifests an incomprehensible disposition to be satisfied with what his father left him.
-
There is a grossness in the conceptions of my countrymen; they will not be convinced that any good thing may consist with what they call idleness; they can anticipate nothing but evil of a young man who neither studies physic, law, nor gospel, nor opens a store, nor takes to farming, but manifests an incomprehensible disposition to be satisfied with what his father left him.
Passages from a Relinquised Work (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")
-
In other words, no individual should be wasted in idleness if they wish to be employed into the safety net program.
-
In other words, no individual should be wasted in idleness if they wish to be employed into the safety net program.
-
In other words, no individual should be wasted in idleness if they wish to be employed into the safety net program.
-
In other words, no individual should be wasted in idleness if they wish to be employed into the safety net program.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.