idle hands are the devil's tools
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Synonym of idle hands are the devil's workshop.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “idle hands are the devil's tools” mean?
Synonym of idle hands are the devil's workshop.
Is “idle hands are the devil's tools” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.