idyll vs idol vs idle
Definitions
noun
- a musical composition that evokes rural life
- a short poem descriptive of rural or pastoral life
- an episode of such pastoral or romantic charm as to qualify as the subject of a poetic idyll
Examples
And its world was a narrow swamp, a grey, nubiferous environment, where it lived its contented, active, idyllic, almost mindless existence.
Altogether, the village is idyllic.
However much we can all appreciate the arguments in favour of renting, most of us still hanker after the long-term idyll of bricks, mortar and a white picket fence.
Definitions
noun
- a material effigy that is worshipped
- someone who is adored blindly and excessively
- an ideal instance; a perfect embodiment of a concept
Examples
She has one annoying but lovable big brother that looks out for her, and a little sister that adores and idolizes her.
Likewise, it was ixnay on the ommentcay when asked about reports that former show exec producer Nigel Lythgoe is returning triumphant to the show after having been pushed aside a couple of seasons back when that was their Really Bright Idea for jump-starting "Idol" and revving up ratings.
Long gone are the days when Chairman Mao was idolised by radicals (and even respected by some mainstream academics) on American university campuses.
Definitions
verb
- run disconnected or idle
- be idle; exist in a changeless situation
adjective
- not in action or at work
- not yielding a return
- silly or trivial
- not in active use
- not having a job
noun
- the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling
Examples
A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor. Victor Hugo
It did in fact return many idled workers to the work force and created a good deal of useful infrastructure but that was then, this is now.
I might have understood how clumsy I was, when I was rearing my children in the most utter idleness and luxury, to reform other people and their children, who were perishing from idleness in what I called the den of the Rzhanoff house, where, nevertheless, three-fourths of the people toil for themselves and for others.
