idle
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Related to idles: idlest
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an idle brain is the devil's workshop
proverb When one has nothing to do, one is more likely to get into trouble. When I'm off from school, my grandmother is always trying to get me out of the house, while reminding me that an idle brain is the devil's workshop.
be bone idle
To be extremely lazy. Can you please get Billy to go to the playground or something? He's been bone idle, just laying around all day.
bone-idle
Extremely lazy. Can you please get Billy to go to the playground or something? He's just laying around all day, being bone-idle.
idle about
To be lazy. Can you please get Billy to go to the playground or something? He's just been idling about all day.
See also: idle
idle away
To waste an interval of time in laziness or inactivity. A noun or pronoun can be used between "idle" and "away." Don't idle the whole day away, or else you'll be up all night finishing your science project. I idled away a few hours and then got back to my research.
idle folk have the least leisure
proverb People who are slow to finish their work ultimately have less free time. Idle folk have the least leisure, you know. So if you would just write your paper instead of procrastinating, you'd have some time to really relax.
idle hands are the devil's playthings
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. Idle hands are the devil's playthings, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. Idle hands are the devil's playthings, after all.
idle hands are the devil's tools
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. Idle hands are the devil's tools, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. Idle hands are the devil's tools, after all.
idle hands are the devil's workshop
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. Idle hands are the devil's workshop, after all.
idle people have the least leisure
proverb People who are slow to finish their work ultimately have less free time. Idle people have the least leisure, you know. So if you would just write your paper instead of procrastinating, you'd have some time to really relax.
the devil finds work for idle hands
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. The devil finds work for idle hands, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. The devil finds work for idle hands, after all.
the devil finds work for idle hands to do
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. The devil finds work for idle hands to do, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. The devil finds work for idle hands to do, after all.
the devil makes work for idle hands
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. The devil makes work for idle hands, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. The devil finds work for idle hands, after all.
the devil makes work for idle hands to do
proverb When one is unoccupied or has nothing to do, one is more likely to cause or get into trouble. The devil makes work for idle hands to do, so is it any surprise they started causing mischief after being left to their own devices for so long? We try to keep our kids busy with various jobs and activities during their summer break. The devil makes work for idle hands to do, after all.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
devil finds work for idle hands to do
Prov. If you do not have useful work to do, you will be tempted to do frivolous or harmful things to get rid of your boredom. Knowing that the devil finds work for idle hands to do, Elizabeth always made sure that her children had plenty of chores to keep them occupied.
idle about
to loiter around, doing nothing. Please don't idle about. Get busy! Andy is idling about today.
See also: idle
idle brain is the devil's workshop
Prov. People who have nothing worthwhile to think about will usually think of something bad to do. We need to figure out something constructive for Tom to do in the afternoons after school. An idle brain is the devil's workshop.
Idle people have the least leisure.
and Idle folk have the least leisure.Prov. If you are not energetic and hardworking, you will never have any free time, since you will have to spend all your time finishing your work. My grandmother always told me not to dawdle, since idle people have the least leisure.
idle something away
Fig. to waste one's time in idleness; to waste a period of time, such as an afternoon, evening, one's life. She idled the afternoon away and then went to a party. Don't idle away the afternoon.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
ˌbone ˈidle
(British English, informal) (of a person) very lazy: The family consists of Vera, her intensely irritating husband and her two bone idle sons.the devil makes work for idle ˈhands
(saying) people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong: She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. ‘The devil makes work for idle hands,’ she would say.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
idle away
v.
To spend some period of time not working or avoiding work: I idled the day away. The children idled away the summer.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
- as one door closes, another (one) opens
- as one door closes, another one opens
- as one door closes, another opens
- give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a mile
- give (someone) an inch and (someone) (will) take a yard
- drive (one) out of office
- force (one) out of office
- force out of office
- give (one) (one's) head
- give head