Wordwyrt

idle

/ˈaɪdəl/EYE-duhl
/ˈaɪdəl/EYE-duhl

Meaningempty, vain, useless

Common meaning: not working

Other meanings: lazy

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishidel‘idleness, vanity, futility, frivolity’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishidelsource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsidleness, vanity, futility, frivolity → not workingidle‘not working’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English idel ‘empty, vain, useless’.

Roots

  • idel Old English “empty, vain, useless”

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