Indifferent vs Idle - What's the difference?
indifferent | idle | Related terms |
Not caring or concerned; uninterested, apathetic.
Mediocre, usually used negatively in modern usage.
* Sir Walter Scott
Having no preference or bias, being impartial.
* Addison
Not making a difference; without significance or importance.
* Shakespeare
* Jeremy Taylor
* Nathaniel Hawthorne
(mechanics) Being in the state of neutral equilibrium.
(obsolete) To some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very'' and ''not at all ); moderately, tolerably, fairly.
(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.
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*
*:“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)
To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.
To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.
* 1939 , Joan Evans, Chateaubriand (page 32)
Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.
In obsolete terms the difference between indifferent and idle
is that indifferent is to some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly while idle is light-headed; foolish.As an adverb indifferent
is to some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly.As a verb idle is
to spend in idleness; to waste; to consume.indifferent
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He was indifferent to the proposal, since it didn't affect him, either way.
- The long distance and the indifferent roads made the journey impossible.
- The performance of Blue Jays has been '''indifferent'' this season.
- The staterooms are in indifferent order.
- ''I am indifferent between the two plans.
- indifferent in his choice to sleep or die
- Even if one appliance consumes an indifferent amount of energy when left on stand-by overnight, together they can represent 10% of the electricity demand of a household.
- Dangers are to me indifferent .
- Everything in the world is indifferent but sin.
- His slightest and most indifferent acts were odious in the clergyman's sight.
Quotations
* , act 4, scene 1: *: Let their heads be sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knitAdverb
- The face of the Moon appearing to me to be full of indifferent high mountains...
Usage notes
* Now obsolete, but very common c. 1600-1730.References
* ----idle
English
(wikipedia idle)Adjective
(en adjective)Derived terms
* idle hands are the devil's workshop * idle pulley * idle wheelSynonyms
* See alsoVerb
(idl)- to idle in an IRC channel
- 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