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Idle vs Dawdle - What's the difference?

idle | dawdle |

In transitive terms the difference between idle and dawdle

is that idle is to spend in idleness; to waste; to consume while dawdle is to spend (time) without haste or purpose.

In intransitive terms the difference between idle and dawdle

is that idle is of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over while dawdle is to move or walk lackadaisically.

As an adjective idle

is empty, vacant.

As a noun dawdle is

a dawdler.

idle

English

(wikipedia idle)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (lb) Empty, vacant.
  • Not turned to appropriate use; not occupied.
  • :
  • Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
  • Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
  • :
  • *
  • *:“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle , brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,!”
  • Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.
  • :
  • (lb) Light-headed; foolish.
  • :(Ford)

    • Derived terms

    * idle hands are the devil's workshop * idle pulley * idle wheel

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (idl)
  • To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.
  • To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.
    • to idle in an IRC channel
  • * 1939 , Joan Evans, Chateaubriand (page 32)
    • He had already heard of the young man's projected journey — evidently the Comte de Combourg had written many letters while his son idled at St. Malo
  • Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.

    • Related terms

    * idler

    References

    * *

    Anagrams

    * * *

    dawdle

    English

    Verb

    (dawdl)
  • To spend time idly and unfruitfully, to waste time.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 29 , author=Neil Johnston , title=Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=However all Hennessey's good work went to waste on 52 minutes when he dawdled on the ball.}}
  • * Johnson
    • Come some evening and dawdle over a dish of tea with me.
  • To spend (time) without haste or purpose.
    • to dawdle away the whole morning
  • To move or walk lackadaisically.
    • If you dawdle on your daily walk, you won't get as much exercise.
  • * Thackeray
    • We dawdle up and down Pall Mall.

    See also

    * dally, dander, dandle, diddle, loaf, piddle, wander, doodle

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A dawdler.

    • Anagrams

    * English intransitive verbs