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| ADJ |
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| /ˈaɪdl/ |
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| 1 | machines or factories that are idle are not being used （机器、工厂）闲置的 | The extra power stations are idle when demand is lower. 需求下降时，多余的电厂便闲置下来。 | | stand/lie/sit idle Valuable machinery is left to lie idle for long periods. 昂贵的机器长期处于闲置状态。 | | | 1a | workers who are idle have no work （工人）无事可做的，空闲的 | | Many men were made idle as the mills closed down. 很多人因为工厂倒闭而无事可做。 | | |
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| 2 | lazy 懒惰的；懒散的；无所事事的 | Get upstairs and wake up that idle brother of yours. 上楼去叫醒你那懒惰的哥哥。 | | You’ re just bone idle, the lot of you. 你们就是懒骨头，你们这些家伙。 | | | 2a | not doing anything , when there are things that you should do 闲着的；袖手旁观的 | | Don’ t worry. I have not been idle while you were away. 别担心，你不在的时候我也没闲着。 | | This country will not remain idle if its friends are attacked. 如果盟友受到攻击，这个国家将不会袖手旁观。 | | |
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| 3 | only before noun without a good reason or real purpose 无理由的；无意图的 | It was only from idle curiosity that she opened the book. 只是出于单纯的好奇她翻开了那本书。 | | idle chatter/gossip 无聊的闲扯/闲话 | |
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| 4 | not really intended or not likely to have any result 无意的；徒劳的 | idle threat It didn’ t sound like an idle threat to me (=it was a real threat) . 听上去这不像是随便吓唬吓唬我。 | |
| PHRASES |
| - | the idle rich
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| very rich people who can spend their time enjoying themselves rather than working . This expression suggests that you do not approve of people like this . |
| 游手好闲的富人（该说法表明不喜欢这类人） |
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| - | it would be idle to do sth very formal
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| used for saying that something is useless or a waste of time |
| 做某事是徒劳的 |
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| DERIVED WORD |
| idleness noun U |
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