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idle in French

idle in French is oisif, fainéant, inactif — idle means not working, active, or in use.

idle in French

oisif
adj
fainéant
adj
Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
inactif
adj
Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.
oiseux
adj
Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.
fainéanter
verb
point mort
verb
(intransitive) Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.
tourner au ralenti
verb
(intransitive) Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.

What does "idle" mean?

  1. adj Not working, active, or in use.
    "The factory has stood idle since the plant closed last year."
  2. adj Lazy or unwilling to work.
    "His teachers called him idle, though he simply found the subject boring."
  3. verb Of an engine, to run slowly while not driving anything, such as a car sitting still with the motor on.
    "Don't let the car idle in the garage — the fumes can build up."
  4. verb To pass time doing nothing productive.
    "They idled away the afternoon on the porch."
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idle in a sentence

  • The factory has stood idle since the plant closed last year.
  • She hates being idle and always finds something to do.
  • His teachers called him idle, though he simply found the subject boring.
  • Don't let the car idle in the garage — the fumes can build up.

Similar words in French

Common French translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "idle" in French?

"idle" in French is oisif, fainéant, inactif. idle means: Not working, active, or in use.

How do you use "idle" in a sentence?

Example: "The factory has stood idle since the plant closed last year." In French, "idle" is oisif, fainéant, inactif.

Are there other ways to say "idle" in French?

Yes — French has 7 translations listed for "idle": oisif, fainéant, inactif, oiseux, fainéanter, point mort.

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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.