| AW III.vii.26 | [Helena to Widow, of Bertram yielding his ring] in his idle fire, / To buy his will it would not seem too dear [or: careless] |
| CE II.ii.218 | [Adriana to Antipholus of Syracuse] I'll ... shrive you of a thousand idle pranks |
| Ham III.ii.100 | [Hamlet to Horatio] I must be idle |
| Ham III.iv.12 | [Gertrude to Hamlet] you answer with an idle tongue |
| KJ V.vii.4 | [Prince Henry to Salisbury and Bigot, of King John] his pure brain ... / Doth by the idle comments that it makes / Foretell the ending of mortality |
| KL I.iii.17 | [Gonerill to Oswald, of Lear] Idle old man |
| TS induction.2.12 | [Lord to Sly] Heaven cease this idle humour in your honour! |
| TS induction.2.82 | [First Servingman to Sly, of his speech during his supposed sleep] very idle words |