diddle

did·dle

verb \ˈdi-d^əl\

did·dleddid·dling \ˈdid-liŋ, -d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of DIDDLE

transitive verb

1

chiefly dialect : to move with short rapid motions

2

: to waste (as time) in trifling

3

: hoax, swindle

4

often vulgar : to copulate with

intransitive verb

1

: dawdle, fool

2

: fiddle, toy —usually used with with <diddled with the machine until it broke>

— did·dler \ˈdid-lər, -d^əl-ər\ noun

Examples of DIDDLE

1. He had tried to diddle his insurance agency.
2. She felt she had been diddled out of her inheritance.

Origin of DIDDLE

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1786

Related to DIDDLE

Synonyms

crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, delay, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, lollygag (also lallygag), mope, poke, shilly-shally, tarry

Antonyms

barrel, bolt, career, course, dash, fly, hasten, hotfoot (it), hurry, race, rip, rocket, run, rush, scoot, scud, scurry, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, whiz (or whizz), zip

Related Words

fiddle (around), fool around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle; hang (around or out), idle, loaf, loll, lounge; amble, ease, inch, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stagger, stroll; decelerate, slow (down or up); filibuster, procrastinate, stall, temporize

Near Antonyms

bowl, breeze, dart, hump, hurtle, hustle, scramble, stampede; gallop, jog, run, sprint, trot; accelerate, quicken, speed (up); catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake

Rhymes with DIDDLE

fiddle, griddle, middle, piddle, riddle, twiddle