fiddle

²fiddle

verb

fid·dledfid·dling \ˈfid-liŋ, ˈfi-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of FIDDLE

intransitive verb

1

: to play on a fiddle

2

a : to move the hands or fingers restlessly b : to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity : putter, tinker <fiddled around with the engine for hours> c : meddle, tamper d : to make minor manual movements especially to adjust something <fiddled with the radio knobs>

transitive verb

1

: to play (as a tune) on a fiddle

2

: cheat, swindle

3

: to alter or manipulate deceptively for fraudulent gain <accountants fiddling the books — Stanley Cohen>

— fid·dler \ˈfid-lər, ˈfi-d^əl-ər\ noun

Examples of FIDDLE

1. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
2. <the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin>

First Known Use of FIDDLE

14th century

Related to FIDDLE

Synonyms: fidget, jerk, jig, jiggle, squiggle, squirm, thrash, thresh, toss, twist, twitch, wiggle, wriggle, writhe

Related Words: flit, flutter, twitter; quake, quiver, shake, shiver, shudder, tremble; pace

Near Antonyms: relax, rest, unwind; calm (down), still

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with FIDDLE

middle, riddle, twiddle