核心畫面

Picture a machine that is switched on but making nothing, or a field that could grow crops but is bare. The capacity is fully there; it is simply not being turned into any result.

一台開著卻沒在做東西的機器,或一塊完全能耕種、卻空在那裡的田。重點是「有能力,但沒有產出」——不是壞掉,不是不能用,更多收起一台開著卻沒在做東西的機器,或一塊完全能耕種、卻空在那裡的田。重點是「有能力,但沒有產出」——不是壞掉,不是不能用,就只是這股力量沒有變成任何結果。idle 這個字的所有用法幾乎都繞著這個落差在走:東西在、能力在,中間那條通往成果的線斷開了。它的三個歷史來源(形容詞、動詞、名詞)其實都回到同一個古英語詞 īdel,本意接近「空的、沒有內容的」,所以這裡合成一個字來看是誠實的。

From the word’s history

Old English īdel meant "empty, void, worthless" — the adjective, the verb idlian and the noun all descend from that same word. The modern range is that one idea of emptiness applied to machines, to talk, and to people.

古英語的 īdel 本意是「空的、沒有內容的、沒有價值的」,和荷蘭文 ijdel(虛的、無意義的)同源。列出的三個來源——形容詞、動詞 īdlian、名詞——其實都是從這同一個字長出來的。所以現代那些看似分散的用法,底下共用的是同一個「空」:機器空轉、話講得空、人空著沒事做。

Wiktionary: idle < Middle English idel < Old English īdel "empty, void, worthless" < Proto-Germanic *īdlaz; verb idelen < Old English īdlian

Three branches

沒在運轉:閒置與空轉

這一家最貼近核心畫面:有產能卻沒在生產。差別只在那台機器是「完全停著」還是「開著但空轉」,以及這狀態是自然發生的還是有人決定的。

not in use, inactive · adjective · C2

Not working or making anything — said of people, machines, factories, or land that could be used but are not in use right now.

閒置

人的閒:懶散與有閒

把那台不運轉的機器換成人。同樣是「有能力卻沒有產出」,但一旦講到人,這個字就帶上了評價——為什麼沒產出?是不想動,還是不必動。

lazy · adjective · C2

Lazy; not willing to work or make an effort.

懶惰

空的話與空的力氣:不會通往結果

這裡的「空」不是指沒在動,而是指動了也不會到達任何地方。話講了、事做了,但那條通往結果的線一樣是斷的——所以還是同一個核心,只是換成用在言語和行動上。

not serious, passing · adjective · C2

Not serious, or not done with a clear purpose — said of threats, curiosity, talk, or guesses that are only passing and not meant to lead to action.

無謂

原始詞典資料21 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Idlename

  • 1

    A surname.

  • 2

    A suburb in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SE1737).

  • 3

    A river, the River Idle in Nottinghamshire, England, which flows into the River Trent.

idleadj詞源 1/ˈaɪd(ə)l/

  • 1

    obsoleteEmpty, vacant.

  • 2

    Not being used appropriately; not occupied; (of time) with no, no important, or not much activity.

    • idle hours
    • My computer hibernates after it has been idle for 30 minutes.
  • 3

    Not engaged in any occupation or employment; unemployed; inactive; doing nothing in particular.

    • idle workmen
    • Molly the dairymaid came a little way from the rickyard, and said she would pluck the pigeon that very night after work. She was always ready to do anything for us boys; and we could never quite make out why they scolded her so for an idle hussy indoors. It seemed so unjust. Looking back, I recollect she had very beautiful brown eyes.
  • 4

    Averse to work, labor or employment; lazy; slothful.

    • an idle fellow
    • “I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,[…]!”
  • 5

    Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.

    • an idle story;  idle talk;  idle rumor;  idle threats;  idle pleasures
  • 6

    obsoleteLight-headed; foolish.

    • The youth is idle

idleverb詞源 2/ˈaɪd(ə)l/

  • 1

    To spend (time) in idleness; to waste; to consume.

    • […] the ne'er-do-anything-at-home who idled his day in immaculate attire and who was banished to Canada on a "remittance," shares his pork and beans with the sourdough, who has scratched rocks and sifted black sand from his infancy.
    • While idling the hours I trace verses / On the inside of wrappers embellishing cans Of Bordeaux mackerel, caught in Monterey.
  • 2

    To lose or spend time doing nothing, or without being employed in business.

    • to idle in an IRC channel
    • He had already heard of the young man's projected journey — evidently the Comte de Combourg had written many letters while his son idled at St. Malo […]
  • 3

    Of an engine: to run at a slow speed, or out of gear; to tick over.

    • When train heating is in operation the diesel engine is arranged to idle at 550 r.p.m. which is the minimum at which the generator will deliver its full rated output.
    • High levels of all pollutants were found during time idling in stations.
  • 4

    To cause (an engine) to idle (run at a slow speed, or out of gear).

    • The driver idled his engine until the car finally stalled.
  • 5

    To make (workers, students, etc) idle; to leave without work.

    • [L]ayoffs idled 1,900 workers in Ohio and 1,000 in Indiana. At the same time, an Indiana assembly plant recalled 1,200 workers.

idlenoun詞源 3/ˈaɪd(ə)l/

  • 1

    The state of idling, of being idle.

  • 2

    engineeringmechanicalmechanical-engineeringThe lowest selectable thrust or power setting of an engine.

    • a lumpy idle
    • A slight valve tap was audible at idle but was not noticeable otherwise.
  • 3

    gamesgamingAn idle animation.

  • 4

    gamesgamingAn idle game.

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。