Antonyms for idles
Grammar : Verb |
Spell : ahyd-l |
Phonetic Transcription : ˈaɪd l |
- abhor
- achieve
- activate
- advance
- aid
- allow
- ascend
- assist
- be active
- be elated
- be happy
- be lazy
- build
- carry on
- carry out
- complete
- compliment
- continue
- create
- despise
- develop
- die
- dislike
- do
- earn
- encourage
- energize
- enlarge
- expand
- face
- finish
- flourish
- forge
- forward
- free
- further
- get
- go
- go ahead
- grow
- halt
- hasten
- hate
- help
- hoard
- hold
- hurry
- hustle
- improve
- increase
- labor
- leave
- leave alone
- let go
- loose
- loosen
- meet
- move
- please
- praise
- push
- raise
- receive
- release
- rise
- run
- rush
- save
- sit up straight
- speed
- stand
- stiffen
- store
- straighten
- strengthen
- support
- take
- take seriously
- tighten
- tiptoe
- toil
- use
- vamoose
- walk
- work
- work hard
Definition of idles
Origin :- Old English idel "empty, void; vain; worthless, useless; not employed," common West Germanic (cf. Old Saxon idal, Old Frisian idel "empty, worthless," Old Dutch idil, Old High German ital, German eitel "vain, useless, mere, pure"), of unknown origin. Idle threats preserves original sense; meaning "lazy" is c.1300.
- As in lag : verb move slowly; delay
- As in linger : verb loiter, delay
- As in loaf : verb be idle, lazy
- As in loiter : verb hang around; stroll
- As in loll : verb lay sprawled
- As in lounge : verb lie about, waste time
- As in moon : verb dream about; desire
- As in mope : verb pout, be dejected
- As in poke : verb move along slowly
- As in rest : verb be calm; sleep
- As in slack/slacken : verb do little or nothing; loosen
- As in spend : verb use time; occupy
- As in stagnate : verb deteriorate by lack of action
- As in trifle : verb toy with; mess around
- As in vegetate : verb be very passive
- As in dillydally : verb dawdle
- As in immobilize : verb tie
- As in dabble : verb play at; tinker
- As in dally : verb dawdle, delay
- As in dawdle : verb delay; waste time
- As in fool around : verb waste time
- As in fritter : verb waste away
- The whole year is lost to him who sleeps or idles away the seed-time.
- Extract from : « Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence » by Various
- The longer one idles the more difficult it is to make a start.
- Extract from : « Aliens » by William McFee
- I really think an Italian idles more complacently and contentedly and picturesquely than any other mortal.
- Extract from : « Polly the Pagan » by Isabel Anderson
- Here and there idles an immaculate and lynx-eyed customs guard in sailors uniform.
- Extract from : « Vistas in Sicily » by Arthur Stanley Riggs
- All the idles of Chicago hired by the city hall could not keep control of the snow on the streets.
- Extract from : « Conversion of a High Priest into a Christian Worker » by Meletios Golden
- Bummer, literally one who sits or idles about; a loafer; one who sponges upon his acquaintances.
- Extract from : « The Slang Dictionary » by John Camden Hotten
- He idles along the street and looks in through the windows at Prints upon the walls.
- Extract from : « Marching Men » by Sherwood Anderson
- But the angler who idles down the stream takes them as they come, and all his observations have a flavour of surprise in them.
- Extract from : « Fisherman's Luck » by Henry van Dyke
- Thus he idles away all his time, and all his business with his sences runs a wool-gathering.
- Extract from : « The Ten Pleasures of Marriage and The Confession of the New-married Couple (1682) » by A. Marsh
- Labour is the curse and the qualification, also; and so the dullard who toils shall beat the genius who idles.
- Extract from : « The Tenants of Malory » by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Synonyms for idles
- abate
- ache
- amble
- amuse oneself
- amuse oneself with
- be amateur
- be apathetic
- be at ease
- be behind
- be comfortable
- be dilatory
- be down in the mouth
- be gloomy
- be in a funk
- be inactive
- be indolent
- be inert
- be insincere
- be long
- be slothful
- be tardy
- be unoccupied
- be wasteful with
- bind
- bleed
- blow
- boondoggle
- breathe
- bring to a screeching halt
- brood
- bum
- bum around
- cast away
- chafe
- clog
- compose oneself
- confine
- constipate
- consume
- coquet
- crawl
- curb
- dabble
- dally
- dangle
- dawdle
- daydream
- decay
- decline
- decrease
- delay
- despair
- despond
- deteriorate
- devote
- diddle
- diddle away
- diddle-daddle
- dilly-dally
- dillydally
- diminish
- dissipate
- dodge
- doodle
- doze
- drag
- drag one's feet
- dream
- drift
- droop
- drop
- drop off
- drowse
- dwindle
- ease
- ease off
- ease up
- eat one's heart out
- ebb
- employ
- entrammel
- evade
- exist
- fail
- fall off
- falter
- featherbed
- fester
- fetter
- fiddle with
- fidget
- fill
- flag
- flap
- flirt
- flirt with
- flop
- fool
- fool around
- fool with
- fret
- fribble
- fritter
- fritter away
- frivol
- futz around
- get no place fast
- go
- go through
- go to pot
- go to seed
- goldbrick
- goof off
- grieve
- grumble
- grump
- halt
- hang
- hang about
- hang around
- hang back
- hang loose
- hang out
- hesitate
- hibernate
- hobble
- hog-tie
- hold
- horse around
- hover
- idle
- inch
- inch along
- indulge in
- jelly
- jerk off
- kid around
- kill
- kill time
- knock around
- lag
- lament
- languish
- lark
- lavish
- lax
- lay back
- laze
- lazy
- lead on
- lean
- leash
- lessen
- let down
- let pass
- let up
- lie
- lie by
- lie down
- lie down on job
- lie fallow
- lie still
- limit
- limp
- linger
- loaf
- lock up
- loiter
- loll
- lollygag
- loose
- lose heart
- lose strength
- lounge
- lounge around
- lumber
- malinger
- mess around
- mess with
- misspend
- misuse
- moderate
- monkey
- monkey around
- monkey with
- moon
- mope
- mosey
- muck around
- nap
- neglect
- nod
- not be serious
- not lift a finger
- not move
- obstruct
- palter
- pass
- pass time
- pause
- philander
- piddle
- pine
- pine away
- play
- play around
- play games with
- play with
- plod
- poke
- potter
- procrastinate
- put feet up
- put in
- put off
- putrefy
- putter
- ramble
- recline
- reduce
- refresh oneself
- regret
- relax
- release
- remain
- repine
- repose
- rest
- restrain
- restrict
- retard
- rot
- run through
- rust
- sag
- saunter
- schlepp along
- scrounge around
- shackle
- shamble
- shirk
- shlep along
- shuffle
- sink
- sit around
- sit down
- sit on one's butt
- slack
- slack off
- slacken
- slouch
- slough
- slow
- slow down
- slow up
- slumber
- slump
- snooze
- spell
- spend like water
- sprawl
- squander
- stagger
- stagnate
- stall
- stand
- stand around
- stand still
- stay
- stew over
- stick around
- stifle
- stop
- straggle
- stretch out
- string along
- stroll
- stultify
- sulk
- sweat over
- tail
- take a break
- take a nap
- take five
- take it easy
- take life easy
- take one's time
- take ten
- take time out
- taper
- tarry
- throw away
- tie one's hands
- tie up
- tire
- toddle
- tool
- totter
- toy
- toy with
- trail
- traipse
- trammel
- trifle
- trifle with
- trudge
- twiddle
- twiddle thumbs
- unbend
- unlax
- untighten
- unwind
- use up
- vacillate
- vegetate
- wait
- wait around
- wane
- wanton
- warm a chair
- waste
- waste time
- weaken
- wear a long face
- while away
- while away hours
- wind down
- wink at
- work superficially
- yearn
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019