1. vt. & vi.虚度，闲逛　 waste time doing nothing
2. vt. & vi.空转　 tick over

　～ one's time　混时间，虚度光阴
　～ continually　不断地闲逛
　～ deliberately　故意地闲逛
　～ delightfully　高兴地游荡
　～ dreadfully　恐惧地游荡
　～ languidly　无精打采地闲逛
　～ lazily　懒散地闲逛
　～ naturally　自然地游荡
　～ remarkably　不平常地闲逛
　～ selfishly　利己地虚度
　～ sleepily　困乏地游荡
　～ strangely　奇怪地闲逛
　～ stupidly　傻傻地闲逛
　～ unusually　不同寻常地游荡
　～ about〔along, around〕　无所事事
　～ away　虚度
　～ away one's time　虚度光阴
　～ down a motor　让马达空转
　～ about　在…附近闲逛
　～ in the driveway　停在车道上

　They idled before cafes.　他们在餐馆前闲逛。
　The car idled in the driveway.　这辆车在行车道上停着。
　The windmill idled in the breeze.　风车在微风中慢慢地转动。
　The strike idled the workers for days.　罢工使工人们好多天无事可做。

 ♣ idle about〔around〕¹　(v.+adv.)
　虚度时光　spend time lazily
　Don't idle about.　不要闲逛。
　There was no work in the office this afternoon so everyone idled about.　今天下午办公室里无事，所以大家都闲着。
　She is a very active sort of person and can't bear to see others idling around.　她是那种积极肯干的人，看不惯别人的懒散。
 ♣ idle about〔around〕²　(v.+prep.)
　在…附近闲逛　waste time around some place
　He is always idling about street corners.　他老是在街头角落闲逛。
　He idled around the house all morning.　他一上午都在房子附近闲逛。
 ♣ idle away　(v.+adv.)
1. 虚度时光 waste sth (usually time) lazily
　Don't idle away your time.　不要虚度时光。
　He idled away his entire vacation.　他把他的整个假期都虚度了。
　When you're older you'll be sorry that you idled away your youth instead of preparing for a profession.　等你老了，你会为你虚度了青春而没有认真从事一项事业而后悔。
　They idle away the hours watching TV.　他们看电视以虚度时光。
　We idled the summer away swimming and playing tennis.　我们是在游泳和打网球中度过夏天的。
　They idled away a whole day fishing nothing.　他们钓了一天鱼，但却什么也没钓着。
2. 空转 (of a car) to run very slowly without being connected to the wheels, continuously or for some time
　The machine has been idled away for several minutes to get it warm.　机器空转了几分钟，以使它预热。

 ♣ idle, laze, loaf, loll, lounge
　这组词都可表示“无所事事”。它们之间的区别是：idle指人或物闲置无事或无目的、无意义地动作，含有指责的意味，有时也指正当的消遣；loaf指混日子或漫无目的地游荡；lounge指懒洋洋地靠着或躺着，引申指闲逛或吊儿郎当地混日子；loll与lounge同意，但更强调懒散或无拘束的样子；laze则侧重于忙人在假日或空闲的时候闲散。

1. 空闲的，闲着的　 not working or operating productively
2. 懒散的，无所事事的　 lazy, wasting time
3. 无根据的；无聊的　 not based on fact or good reason
4. A 无意义的，无特别意图的　 having no particular purpose

　～ bread〔capital〕　闲饭〔散资金〕
　～ dream　痴心妄想
　～ fear　无端的恐惧
　～ gear　惰轮
　～ hours　悠闲的日子
　～ personnel　闲杂人员
　～ rumors　无根据的谎言
　～ tales　闲话
　～ worm　游手好闲的人
　lie ～　闲置
　run ～　（机器）空转
　stand ～　袖手旁观，被闲置

　We spent many idle hours during the holidays.　在假期中我们度过了很多空闲的时间。
　They didn't want to live idle lives.　他们不愿过闲散的生活。
　How much trouble in this life is caused by idle talk!　这一生中，无聊的闲话引起多少烦恼啊！
　I don't know why I asked—just idle curiosity.　我不知道我为什么问这问题——只是出于无意义的好奇心吧。
　An idle person will never find or understand real happiness.　一个懒汉永远找不到也永远不懂得真正的幸福。
　An idle worker is a waste of money.　工人懒散就是浪费金钱。
　Every evening on my way home I see that idle fellow.　每天晚上在回家的路上我都能见到那个游手好闲的家伙。
　When men can't find employment, they are idle.　当人们找不到工作时，他们便空闲着。
　Men are idle when machines break down.　机器坏了时，人们都没事做。

　He is too idle to do anything.　他太懒了，不干任何事。
　It's idle to expect help from that man.　指望那人帮助是没用的。
　The factory closed and left hundreds of employees idle.　工厂关闭使数百名雇员无事可做。
　The fuel shortage has left many airplanes idle.　燃料的短缺使很多飞机停飞。

 ♣ idle, lazy
　参见lazy条。

　［同义词］ adj. inactive, unoccupied, unused
　［反义词］ adj. active, busy, engaged, occupied
　［词源］中古英语idel（空闲的）