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Idle vs Lax - What's the difference?

idle | lax | Related terms |

Idle is a related term of lax.


As an adjective idle

is (lb) empty, vacant.

As a verb idle

is to spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.

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

    * * *

    lax

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (Killian)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) lax, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (laxes)
  • A salmon.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • lenient and allowing for deviation; not strict.
    • The rules are fairly lax , but you have to know which ones you can bend.
  • * J. A. Symonds
    • Society at that epoch was lenient, if not lax , in matters of the passions.
  • loose; not tight or taut.
    • The rope fell lax .
  • * Ray
    • the flesh of that sort of fish being lax and spongy
  • lacking care; neglectful, negligent
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=October 1 , author=Phil Dawkes , title=Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Prior to this match, Albion had only scored three league goals all season, but Wes Brown's lax marking allowed Morrison to head in their fourth from a Chris Brunt free-kick and then, a minute later, the initial squandering of possession and Michael Turner's lack of pace let Long run through to slot in another.}}
  • (archaic) Having a looseness of the bowels; diarrheal.
    • Synonyms
    * permissive, lenient * loose, slack
    Antonyms
    * strict * taut, tight

    Noun

    (-)
  • lacrosse
    • ----