idle
Idle means doing nothing, waiting, or not busy. A person might say they are idle when they have free time, or that their car sits idle in the driveway.
What a model may hear
- Python built-in function Python programming
- Return a placeholder object for 'do nothing', or in older contexts, start an interactive shell
- CPU idle state operating systems and hardware
- Assume the processor is in a low-power wait state, or trigger power management
- database idle connection database administration
- Mark a connection as inactive, possibly timeout or pool it differently
- thread idle priority multitasking systems
- Schedule a process with lowest urgency, possibly deprioritize or suspend it
- game idle state game development
- Trigger an animation loop of a character standing still
Where people and models part ways
“I want to stay idle today”
Meant: The person wants to relax and do nothing
May be taken as: A model may interpret this as a request to enter a system idle state or run Python's idle()
Say instead: “I want to relax and not do much today”
“Keep the engine idle”
Meant: Let the car run without moving
May be taken as: A model may read this as setting a process to idle priority or invoking IDLE
Say instead: “Let the car run in park without driving”
“I need an idle moment”
Meant: A break or pause in activity
May be taken as: A model may assume a technical idle state is requested, or confuse with Python's IDLE editor
Say instead: “I need a short break with no tasks”
“Put it in idle”
Meant: Set a machine to its standby or ready-but-not-working state
May be taken as: A model may invoke Python's idle() or set lowest thread priority
Say instead: “Set the machine to standby mode”
Tips
- Say 'break' or 'pause' instead of 'idle' when you mean resting
- Specify 'Python IDLE' if you mean the integrated development environment
- Use 'standby' or 'sleep mode' for devices you want to keep powered but inactive
- Say 'low priority' or 'background task' if you mean deprioritizing work
- Add 'do nothing placeholder' if you specifically want Python's idle() behavior
Often confused with
- IDLE
- Python's integrated development environment, capitalized
- idol
- an object of worship, same pronunciation
- idyl
- a peaceful poem or scene, same pronunciation
- yield
- give way or produce, often confused in speech
- idel
- no standard meaning, common misspelling