idle (adj.) Copy link Outline I. Not employed [see also IDLE, TO BE].1. ōtiōsus2. văcuus3. fēriātus (keeping holiday)4. segnis, e (in this sense not of persons5. dēses, ĭdis (doing nothing, when there is plenty to be done6. ignāvus (poet.)II. Averse to workIII. Ineffectual, useless1. vānus2. irrĭtus i. words, i. verba, Cat.3. ĭnānis, e • idle (adj.): I. Not employed [see also idle, to be]. 1. ōtiōsus: they stood as i. spectators of the calamity, spectatores o. se praebuerunt calamitatis, Cic. Off. 2, 7, extr.: I fear the money must lie i., pecuniae vereor ne otiosae jaceant, Plin. Ep. 10, 63 (62): as applied to time, otiosus denotes freedom from regular business: v. leisure (adj.) 2. văcuus: to engage the i. mind, v. tenere mentes, Virg. G. 3, 3: Cic.: v. unemployed. 3. fēriātus (keeping holiday): to let one's sword hang i., machaeram f. gestitare, Pl.: cf. Cic. N. D. 1, 37, init. 4. segnis, e (in this sense not of persons: poet.): to indulge in i. repose, s. otia ducere, Ov. Pont. 1, 5, 43: i. years (in which nothing memorable is done), s. anni, Albin 5. dēses, ĭdis (doing nothing, when there is plenty to be done: nom. sing. not found): we sit i. at home, sedemus d. domi, Liv. 3, 68, med.: v. inactive. 6. ignāvus (poet.): winter is an i. time for the farmer, hiems ign. colono, Virg. G. 1, 299. II. Averse to work: ignāvus, segnis, ĭners: v. lazy. III. Ineffectual, useless: 1. vānus: i. prayers, v. preces, Ov. M. 9, 682: Hor.: v. vain. 2. irrĭtus i. words, i. verba, Cat.: Hor.: v. fruitless. 3. ĭnānis, e: i. rumours, inania famae, Tac. Ann. 2, 76.