Idiosyncrasy, id-i-o-sin′kra-si, n. peculiarity of temperament or constitution; crotchet or peculiar view, any characteristic of a person.—adj. Idiosyncrat′ic. [Gr. idios, one's own, syncrasis, a mixing together—syn, together, krasis, a mixing.]
Idiot, id′i-ut, n. one deficient in intellect: a foolish or unwise person.—adj. afflicted with idiocy: idiotic.—v.t. to make idiotic—ns. Id′iocy, Id′iotcy, state of being an idiot: imbecility: folly.—adjs. Idiot′ic, -al, pertaining to or like an idiot: foolish.—adv. Idiot′ically.—adj. Idiot′ish, idiotic.—n. Id′iotism, the state of being an idiot. [Fr.,—L. idiota—idiōtēs, orig. a 'private man,' then a rude person—idios, one's own.]
Idle, ī′dl, adj. vain: trifling: unemployed: averse to labour: not occupied: useless: unimportant: unedifying.—v.t. to spend in idleness.—v.i. to be idle or unoccupied.—adj. I′dle-head′ed, foolish.—ns. I′dlehood, I′dleness; I′dler; Id′lesse, idleness; I′dle-wheel, a wheel placed between two others simply for transferring the motion from one to the other without changing the direction.—n.pl. I′dle-worms, once jocularly supposed to be bred in the fingers of lazy maid-servants.—adv. I′dly. [A.S. idel; Dut. ijdel, Ger. eitel.]
Idocrase, id′o-krāz, n. the mineral vesuvianite. [Gr. eidos, form, krasis, mixture.]
Idol, ī′dul, n. a figure: an image of some object of worship: a person or thing too much loved or honoured: any phantom of the brain, or any false appearance by which men are led into error or prejudice which prevents impartial observation, a fallacy—also Idō′lon, Idō′lum:—pl. Idō′la—Bacon (Novum Organum, i. § 38) makes these four in number—Idols of the nation or tribe; Idols of the den or cave (fallacies due to personal causes); Idols of the forum (those due to the influence of words or phrases); Idols of the theatre (those due to misconceptions of philosophic system or demonstration).—v.t. I′dolīse, to make an idol of, for worship: to love to excess.—ns. Idolīs′er; I′dolism (Milt.), idolatrous worship; I′dolist (Milt.), an idolater; Idol′oclast, a breaker of images.—adj. Idolograph′ical, treating of idols. [O. Fr. idole—L. idolum—Gr. eidōlon—eidos, what is seen—idein, to see.]
Idolater, ī-dol′a-tėr, n. a worshipper of idols: a great admirer:—fem. Idol′atress.—v.t. Idol′atrīse, to worship as an idol: to adore.—adj. Idol′atrous, pertaining to idolatry.—adv. Idol′atrously.—n. Idol′atry, the worship of an image held to be the abode of a superhuman personality: excessive love. [Fr. idolâtre, corr. of L.,—Gr. eidōlolatrēs—eidōlon, idol, latreuein, to worship.]
Idolon, ī-dō′lon, n. same as Idol, an image: a mistaken notion. [Gr. eidōlon, an image.]
Idris, ī′dris, n. a mythical figure in Welsh tradition, giant, prince, and astronomer.
Idyl, Idyll, ī′dil, n. a short pictorial poem, chiefly on pastoral subjects: a narrative poem.—n. Idyl′ist, a writer of idyls.—adj. Idyll′ic, of or belonging to idyls: pastoral. [L. idyllium—Gr. idyllion, dim. of eidos, image.]
If, if, conj. an expression of doubt; whether: in case that: supposing that.—As if, as it would be if. [A.S. gif; Dut. of, Ice. ef, if, efa, to doubt.]