Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In an idle manner; lazily; sluggishly; carelessly; vainly; uselessly; unprofitably; foolishly.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a idle manner; ineffectually; vainly; lazily; carelessly; (Obs.) foolishly.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In an idle manner.
  • adverb Without specific purpose, intent or effort.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in an idle manner

Etymologies

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Examples

  • But meanwhile -- "She picked up a thick book from the table, read the title idly:"'Secret Memoirs of the Favourites of the French Courts!'

    Harriet and the Piper Kathleen Thompson Norris 1923

  • Meanwhile, I have to make a confession: in idly making my first state assignments, I assumed the easiest pick for Connecticut would be John Cheever: the only trouble would be whether to just include his stories or add a novel or his journals too.

    An Amazon.com Books Blog featuring news, reviews, interviews and guest author blogs. 2008

  • He had used the phrase idly and, although it was possible he might in just as idle a mood commit the act itself, Donaldson was convinced that it was not yet a fixed idea.

    The Seventh Noon Frederick Orin Bartlett

  • "Come in," I called idly, and the door promptly opened, and to my amazement Miss Morland stood before me.

    Hurricane Island 1892

  • Even a word idly spoken may give rise to thoughts which may grow up and flourish, till they become like a upas tree to destroy all within their influence.

    The Pirate of the Mediterranean A Tale of the Sea William Henry Giles Kingston 1847

  • Bear witness this my stone house of night that has hidden me, and the wail-circled water of Cocytus, my husband did not, as men say, kill me, looking eagerly to marriage with another; why should Rufinius have an ill name idly? but my predestined Fates lead me away; not surely is

    Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology Anonymous 1902

  • Sometimes they are unqualified to gain a maintenance, educated as is called, genteelly, or in other words idly, they are ignorant of every thing that might give them superior abilities to the lower rank of people, and their birth renders them less acceptable servants to many, who have not generosity enough to treat them as they ought, and yet do not choose while they are acting the mistress, perhaps too haughtily, to feel the secret reproaches of their own hearts.

    A Description of Millenium Hall And the Country Adjacent Together with the Characters of the Inhabitants and Such Historical Anecdotes and Reflections As May Excite in the Reader Proper Sentiments of Humanity, and Lead the Mind to the Love of Virtue Sarah Scott 1759

  • I just wanted to grab a scrap of paper that he was kind of idly doodling on.

    toonzone News Jeffrey Harris 2010

  • This serves the dual purpose of not melting things next to your notebook (such as idly-placed fingers) and keeping the noise down as the fan noise is emitted from the rear of the unit so is less noticeable.

    Gameplanet 2010

  • April 17, 2009 at 2: 12 pm as minor investors in this well-made documentary, my wife & i were praying that some would 'idly' switch on their TV & be richly blessed. glad that you watched & enjoyed NC.

    WordPress.com News 2009

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