idleness

  • 1Idleness — I dle*ness, n. [AS. [=i]delnes.] The condition or quality of being idle (in the various senses of that word); uselessness; fruitlessness; triviality; inactivity; laziness. Syn: Inaction; indolence; sluggishness; sloth. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2idleness — index desuetude, inaction, languor, lull, neglect, nonperformance, sloth Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …

    Law dictionary

  • 3idleness — (n.) O.E. idelnes frivolity, vanity, emptiness; vain existence; see IDLE (Cf. idle) + NESS (Cf. ness). Old English expressed the idea we attach to in vain by in idelnisse. Spenser, Scott, and others use idlesse to mean the same thing in a… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 4idleness — [n] laziness, inaction dawdling, dillydallying*, dormancy, droning, goof off time*, hibernation, inactivity, indolence, inertia, joblessness, laze, lazing, leisure, lethargy, loafing, loitering, otiosity, own sweet time*, pottering, shiftlessness …

    New thesaurus

  • 5idleness — tinginiavimas statusas T sritis švietimas apibrėžtis Sąmoningas, tyčinis darbo ar pareigos atlikimo vengimas. Vaikai nemoka tyčia vengti darbo, bet kai kurie veikia labai nerangiai, atidėlioja darbą arba neatlieka paskirtų užduočių. Kartais… …

    Enciklopedinis edukologijos žodynas

  • 6idleness — see idleness is the root of all evil …

    Proverbs new dictionary

  • 7idleness — idle ► ADJECTIVE (idler, idlest) 1) avoiding work; lazy. 2) not working or in use. 3) having no purpose or basis: idle threats. ► VERB 1) spend time doing nothing. 2) (of an engine) run slowly w …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8idleness is the root of all evil — The idea is attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Cf. early 14th cent. Fr. oiseuseté atrait viches, idleness attracts vices; c 1390 CHAUCER Second Nun’s Prologue 1.1 The ministre and the norice [nurse] unto vices, which that men clepe [call] in …

    Proverbs new dictionary

  • 9idleness — noun see idle I …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 10idleness — See idle. * * * …

    Universalium