ideo|logue /a I diəlɒg, [AM ] -lɔːg/ (ideologues ) N‑COUNT An ideologue is the same as an ideologist . [FORMAL ]
ideol|ogy /a I diɒ lədʒi/ (ideologies ) N‑VAR An ideology is a set of beliefs, especially the political beliefs on which people, parties, or countries base their actions. □ …capitalist ideology.
id|io|cy / I diəsi/ (idiocies ) N‑VAR If you refer to something as idiocy , you mean that you think it is very stupid. □ [+ of ] …the idiocy of continuing government subsidies for environmentally damaging activities.
idi|om / I diəm/ (idioms )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A particular idiom is a particular style of something such as music, dance, or architecture. [FORMAL ] □ McCartney was also keen to write in a classical idiom, rather than a pop one.
2 N‑COUNT An idiom is a group of words which have a different meaning when used together from the one they would have if you took the meaning of each word separately. [TECHNICAL ] □ Proverbs and idioms may become worn with over-use.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Idiom of a particular kind is the language that people use at a particular time or in a particular place. [FORMAL ] □ …her command of the Chinese idiom.
idio|mat|ic / I dioʊmæ t I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Idiomatic language uses words in a way that sounds natural to native speakers of the language. □ …her remarkable command of idiomatic English.
idio|syn|cra|sy / I dioʊs I ŋkrəsi/ (idiosyncrasies ) N‑VAR [usu with poss] If you talk about the idiosyncrasies of someone or something, you are referring to their rather unusual habits or characteristics. □ Everyone has a few little idiosyncrasies.
idio|syn|crat|ic / I dioʊs I ŋkræ t I k/ ADJ If you describe someone's actions or characteristics as idiosyncratic , you mean that they are rather unusual. □ …a highly idiosyncratic personality.
id|iot / I diət/ (idiots ) N‑COUNT If you call someone an idiot , you are showing that you think they are very stupid or have done something very stupid. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ I knew I'd been an idiot to stay there.
i d|iot box N‑SING The idiot box is the television. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] in AM, use boob tube
idi|ot|ic / I diɒ t I k/ ADJ If you call someone or something idiotic , you mean that they are very stupid or silly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ What an idiotic thing to say! ● idi|oti|cal|ly / I diɒ t I kli/ ADV □ …his idiotically romantic views.
idle /a I d ə l/ (idles , idling , idled )
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If people who were working are idle , they have no jobs or work. □ Employees have been idle almost a month because of shortages.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If machines or factories are idle , they are not working or being used. □ Now the machine is lying idle.
3 ADJ If you say that someone is idle , you disapprove of them because they are not doing anything and you think they should be. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …idle bureaucrats who spent the day reading newspapers. ● idle|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Idleness is a very bad thing for human nature. ● idly ADV [ADV with v] □ We were not idly sitting around.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Idle is used to describe something that you do for no particular reason, often because you have nothing better to do. □ Brian kept up the idle chatter for another five minutes. ● idly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ We talked idly about magazines and baseball.
5 ADJ [ADJ n] You refer to an idle threat or boast when you do not think the person making it will or can do what they say. □ It was more of an idle threat than anything.
6 VERB To idle a factory or other place of work means to close it down because there is no work to do or because the workers are on strike. [AM , BUSINESS ] □ [V -ed] …idled assembly plants. [Also V n] in BRIT, usually use shut down 7 VERB To idle workers means to stop them working. [AM , BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The strike has idled about 55,000 machinists. in BRIT, use lay off 8 VERB If an engine or vehicle is idling , the engine is running slowly and quietly because it is not in gear, and the vehicle is not moving. □ [V ] Beyond a stand of trees a small plane idled.
idler /a I dlə r / (idlers ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as an idler , you are criticizing them because you think they are lazy and should be working. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The Duke resents being seen as a moneyed idler.
idol /a I d ə l/ (idols )
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone such as a film, pop, or sports star as an idol , you mean that they are greatly admired or loved by their fans. □ A great cheer went up from the crowd as they caught sight of their idol.
2 N‑COUNT An idol is a statue or other object that is worshipped by people who believe that it is a god.
3 PHRASE If you refer to someone as a fallen idol , you mean that they have lost people's respect and admiration because of something bad that they have done.
idola|try /a I dɒ lətri/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Someone who practises idolatry worships idols. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to someone's admiration for a particular person as idolatry , you think it is too great and uncritical. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Their affection for her soon increased almost to idolatry.
idol|ize /a I dəla I z/ (idolizes , idolizing , idolized ) in BRIT, also use idolise VERB If you idolize someone, you admire them very much. □ [V n] Naomi idolised her father as she was growing up.
id|yll / I d I l, [AM ] a I d ə l/ (idylls ) in AM, also use idyl N‑COUNT If you describe a situation as an idyll , you mean that it is idyllic. □ She finds that the sleepy town she moves to isn't the rural idyll she imagined.