Definitions for idleness
idle·ness

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.3 / 3 votes

1. idleness, idling, loafingnoun

   having no employment

2. groundlessness, idlenessnoun

   the quality of lacking substance or value

   "the groundlessness of their report was quickly recognized"

3. faineance, idlenessnoun

   the trait of being idle out of a reluctance to work

WiktionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. idlenessnoun

   The state of being idle; inactivity.

2. idlenessnoun

   The state of being indolent; indolence

3. idlenessnoun

   Groundlessness; worthlessness; triviality.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Idlenessnoun

   Etymology: from idle.

   1. Laziness; sloth; sluggishness; aversion from labour.

   Nor is excess the only thing by which sin mauls and breaks men in their health, and the comfortable enjoyment of themselves thereby; but many are also brought to a very ill and languishing habit of body by mere idleness, and idleness is both itself a great sin, and the cause of many more. Robert South, Serm.

   2. Absence of employment.

   All which yet could not make us accuse her, though it made us pine away for spight, to lose any of our time in so troublesome an idleness. Philip Sidney, b. ii.

   To the English court assemble now,
   From ev'ry region, apes of idleness. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

   He fearing idleness, the nurse of ill,
   In sculpture exercis'd his happy skill. John Dryden, Ovid.

   Nature being liberal to all without labour, necessity imposing no industry or travel, idleness bringeth forth no other fruits than vain thoughts and licentious pleasures. Walter Raleigh.

   3. Omission of business.

   Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
   My idleness doth hatch. William Shakespeare, Ant. and Cleopatra.

   4. Unimportance; trivialness.5. Inefficacy; uselessness.6. Barrenness; worthlessness.7. Unreasonableness; want of judgment; foolishness; madness.

   There is no heat of affection but is joined with some idleness of brain. Francis Bacon, War with Spain.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Idleness

   Idleness is a lack of motion or energy. In describing a person, idle means the act of nothing or no work (for example: "John Smith is an idle person"). A person who spends his or her days doing nothing could be said to be "idly passing his or her days" (for example: "Mary has been idle on her instant messenger account for hours."). An idle machine is stopped, exerting no work. A computer processor or communication circuit is described as idle when it is not being used by any program, application or message. Similarly, an engine of an automobile may be described as idle when it is running only to sustain its running (not doing any useful work), this is also called the tickover (see idle).

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 4 votes

1. Idlenessnoun

   the condition or quality of being idle (in the various senses of that word); uselessness; fruitlessness; triviality; inactivity; laziness

Matched Categories

1. • Indolence

Anagrams for idleness »

1. linseeds

How to pronounce idleness?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say idleness in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of idleness in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of idleness in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of idleness in a Sentence

1. J. W. Alexander:

   There are pauses amidst study, and even pauses of seeming idleness, in which a process goes on which may be likened to the digestion of food. In those seasons of repose, the powers are gathering their strength for new efforts; as land which lies fallow recovers itself for tillage.

2. Earl of Chesterfield:

   Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no delay, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

3. Colette:

   Smokers, male and female, inject and excuse idleness in their lives every time they light a cigarette.

4. Lord Chesterfield:

   Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

5. Thomas Traherne:

   The soul is made for action, and cannot rest till it be employed. Idleness is its rust. Unless it will up and think and taste and see, all is in vain.

Popularity rank by frequency of use