Idle

In Matthew 12:36, means empty and fruitless. The "idle word" which Christ condemns, is a word morally useless and evil.

1. (superl.) of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren.

2. (superl.) Not called into active service; not turned to appropriate use; unemployed; as, idle hours.

3. (superl.) Not employed; unoccupied with business; inactive; doing nothing; as, idle workmen.

4. (superl.) Given rest and ease; averse to labor or employment; lazy; slothful; as, an idle fellow.

5. (superl.) Light-headed; foolish.

6. (v. i.) To lose or spend time in inaction, or without being employed in business.

7. (v. t.) To spend in idleness; to waste; to consume; -- often followed by away; as, to idle away an hour a day.

IDLE; IDLENESS

i'-d'-l, i'-d'-l-nes: Both words, adjective and noun, render different Hebrew words (from `atsel, "to be lazy," raphah, "to relax," and shaqaT, "to be quiet"). According to the Yahwistic narrative Pharaoh's retort to the complaints of the Israelites was a charge of indolence (Exodus 5:8, 17). It was a favorite thought of Hebrew wisdom-practical philosophy of life-that indolence inevitably led to poverty and want (Proverbs 19:15 Ecclesiastes 10:18). The "virtuous woman" was one who would not eat the "bread of idleness" (Proverbs 31:27). In Ezekiel 16:49 for the King James Version "abundance of idleness," the Revised Version (British and American) has "prosperous ease." In the New Testament "idle" generally renders the Greek word argos, literally, "inactive," "useless" (Matthew 20:3, 6). In Luke 24:11 "idle talk" corresponds to one Greek word which means "empty gossip" or "nonsensical talk."

T. Lewis

691. argeo -- to be idle
... to be idle. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: argeo Phonetic Spelling:
(arg-eh'-o) Short Definition: I linger, delay, am idle Definition: I linger, delay ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/691.htm - 6k

692. argos -- inactive, idle
... inactive, idle. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: argos Phonetic Spelling:
(ar-gos') Short Definition: idle, lazy, thoughtless Definition: idle, lazy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/692.htm - 6k

3150. mataiologia -- idle or foolish talk
... idle or foolish talk. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: mataiologia
Phonetic Spelling: (mat-ah-yol-og-ee'-ah) Short Definition: foolish talking ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3150.htm - 6k

3636. okneros -- shrinking, timid, hence idle, lazy, troublesome
... shrinking, timid, hence idle, lazy, troublesome. Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: okneros Phonetic Spelling: (ok-nay-ros') Short Definition: slothful ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3636.htm - 7k

2673. katargeo -- to render inoperative, abolish
... Transliteration: katargeo Phonetic Spelling: (kat-arg-eh'-o) Short Definition: I
bring to naught, sever, abolish Definition: (a) I make idle (inactive), make ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2673.htm - 9k

3026. leros -- silly talk
... silly talk. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: leros Phonetic Spelling:
(lay'-ros) Short Definition: folly, nonsense, idle talk Definition: folly ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3026.htm - 6k

3454. muthos -- a speech, story, ie a fable
... a speech, story, ie a fable. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: muthos
Phonetic Spelling: (moo'-thos) Short Definition: an idle tale, fable ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3454.htm - 6k

3151. mataiologos -- talking idly
... vain talker. From mataios and lego; an idle (ie Senseless or mischievous) talker,
ie A wrangler -- vain talker. see GREEK mataios. see GREEK lego. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3151.htm - 6k

812. atakteo -- to be out of order, be remiss
... I behave disorderly Definition: (lit: I march out of order; then: I riot, rebel),
behave disorderly, neglect my duty, am careless (or idle) in habits. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/812.htm - 6k

4691. spermologos -- a seed picker, fig. one who picks up scraps ...
... Definition a seed picker, fig. one who picks up scraps of knowledge NASB
Word Usage idle babbler (1). babbler. From sperma and lego ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4691.htm - 6k

907. bad -- empty, idle talk
... 906, 907. bad. 908 . empty, idle talk. Transliteration: bad Phonetic
Spelling: (bad) Short Definition: boasts. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/907.htm - 6k

7423b. remiyyah -- laxness, slackness
... 7423a, 7423b. remiyyah. 7424 . laxness, slackness. Transliteration:
remiyyah Short Definition: idle. Word Origin from an unused ...
/hebrew/7423b.htm - 5k

988. batal -- to cease
... batal. 989 . to cease. Transliteration: batal Phonetic Spelling: (baw-tale') Short
Definition: idle. ... root Definition to cease NASB Word Usage stand idle (1). ...
/hebrew/988.htm - 5k

2308. chadal -- to cease
... A primitive root; properly, to be flabby, ie (by implication) desist; (figuratively)
be lacking or idle -- cease, end, fall, forbear, forsake, leave (off), let ...
/hebrew/2308.htm - 6k

2311. Chadlay -- an Ephraimite
... Word Origin from chedel Definition an Ephraimite NASB Word Usage Hadlai (1). Hadlai.
From chedel; idle; Chadlai, an Israelite -- Hadlai. see HEBREW chedel. ...
/hebrew/2311.htm - 6k

7386. req -- empty, vain
... Word Origin from riq Definition empty, vain NASB Word Usage emptied (1), empty
(6), foolish ones (1), idle (1), satisfied (1), worthless (4). ...
/hebrew/7386.htm - 6k

7503. raphah -- sink, relax
... in many applications, literal or figurative) -- abate, cease, consume, draw (toward
evening), fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let ...
/hebrew/7503.htm - 6k

7423. rmiyah -- deceit, treachery
... remissness, treachery From ramah; remissness, treachery -- deceit(- ful, -fully),
false, guile, idle, slack, slothful. see HEBREW ramah. 7422, 7423. ...
/hebrew/7423.htm - 5k

3027. yad -- hand
... 859), handed (1), hands (303), hands* (1), have* (1), help* (1), helpless* (1),
herself (1), himself (1), hold* (1), human agency (1), idle* (1), influence (1 ...
/hebrew/3027.htm - 8k

5117. nuach -- to rest
... 1), find...rest (1), forsake (1), free (1), free space (2), give comfort (1), give
rest (17), given rest (3), gives rest (1), had rest (1), idle* (1), laid (2 ...
/hebrew/5117.htm - 7k

Watching for Idle Boys
... WATCHING FOR IDLE BOYS. ... He not only had been caught idling himself, but playing a
mean trick. That was a lesson for him: he never watched for idle boys again. ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/watching for idle boys.htm

The Tenth Chapter: Avoiding Idle Talk
... BOOK ONE. THOUGHTS HELPFUL IN THE LIFE OF THE SOUL The Tenth Chapter: Avoiding
Idle Talk. SHUN the gossip of men as much as possible ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the tenth chapter avoiding idle.htm

The Same Old Man's Rebuke when He Saw How the Brethren Went to ...
... Chapter XXXI. The same old man's rebuke when he saw how the brethren went to sleep
during the spiritual conferences, and woke up when some idle story was told. ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxxi the same old.htm

But Now, if You Turn from all These Idle Debates and ...
... [Way-3-12] But now, if you turn from all these idle debates and
demonstrations of reason? But now, if you turn from all these ...
/.../law/the way to divine knowledge/way-3-12 but now if you.htm

With this we are Delighted Because it is Absolutely Impossible ...
... THE THIRD CENTURY 65 With this we are delighted because it is absolutely impossible
that any Power dwelling with Love should continue idle. ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/65 with this we are.htm

Being Swallowed up Therefore in the Miserable Gulf of Idle Talk ...
... THE THIRD CENTURY 14 Being swallowed up therefore in the miserable gulf of idle
talk and worthless vanities. Being swallowed up therefore ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/14 being swallowed up therefore.htm

Books for Sunday Schools. --- 200 Mulberry-Street, New York. ...
... BOOKS FOR SUNDAY SCHOOLS. "- 200 Mulberry-street, New York. ""- IDLE DICK
AND POOR WATCHMAKER. Originally written in French, by Rev. ...
/.../stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/books for sunday schools -.htm

How Kindness Should be Shown Even to the Idle and Careless.
... Prolegomena. Chapter XV. How kindness should be shown even to the idle
and careless. Nevertheless, like a far-sighted and careful ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xv how kindness should.htm

Of Him whom the Superior came Upon and Found in his Cell, Deluded ...
... Prolegomena. Chapter XVI. Of him whom the superior came upon and found in
his cell, deluded by idle vainglory. I remember an elder ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xvi of him whom.htm

Sermon for Septuagesima Sunday
... But when it was quite late in the evening he went out again, and still found men
standing idle. Then he said unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? ...
/.../ix sermon for septuagesima sunday.htm

Idle (33 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Not called into active service; not turned to appropriate
use; unemployed; as, idle hours. 3. (superl.) Not employed ...
/i/idle.htm - 18k

Idleness (4 Occurrences)
... (n.) The condition or quality of being idle (in the various senses of that word);
uselessness; fruitlessness; triviality; inactivity; laziness. ...IDLE; IDLENESS. ...
/i/idleness.htm - 9k

Lazy (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Disinclined to action or exertion; averse
to labor; idle; shirking work. ... Exodus 5:17 But he said, "You are idle! ...
/l/lazy.htm - 9k

Tale (7 Occurrences)
... the words of a favorite hymn or passage (Psalm 1:2). The disciples considered the
account given by the women in regard to the resurrection as "idle tales" (the ...
/t/tale.htm - 12k

Dream (82 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A visionary scheme; a wild conceit; an idle fancy; a vagary; a revery; --
in this sense, applied to an imaginary or anticipated state of happiness; as ...
/d/dream.htm - 47k

Standing (334 Occurrences)
... Matthew 20:3 He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle
in the marketplace. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/s/standing.htm - 36k

Solomon (277 Occurrences)
... The idle king living among these idle women, for 1,000 women, with all their idle
and mischievous attendants, filled the palaces and pleasure-houses which he ...
/s/solomon.htm - 101k

Gadding (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Gadding (1 Occurrence). 1 Timothy 5:13 Besides,
they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. ...
/g/gadding.htm - 6k

Gossip (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) One who runs house to house, tattling and telling news; an idle tattler. ...
8. (vi) To run about and tattle; to tell idle tales. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/g/gossip.htm - 9k

Gossips (5 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). 1 Timothy 5:13 Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about
from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and ...
/g/gossips.htm - 7k

What does the Bible say about idleness/being idle? | GotQuestions.org

Is “idle hands are the devil's workshop” a biblical statement? | GotQuestions.org

What are idle words (Matthew 12:36)? | GotQuestions.org

Idle: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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