fudge

¹fudge

verb \ˈfəj\

fudgedfudg·ing

Definition of FUDGE

transitive verb

1

a : to devise as a substitute : fake

b : falsify <fudged the figures>

2

: to fail to come to grips with : dodge <fudged the issue>

intransitive verb

1

: to exceed the proper bounds or limits of something <feel that the author has fudged a little on the … rules for crime fiction — Newsweek>; also : cheat <fudging on an exam>

2

: to fail to perform as expected

3

: to avoid commitment : hedge <the government's tendency to fudge on delicate matters of policy — Claire Sterling>

Examples of FUDGE

1. Politicians have been known to fudge the issues.
2. The treasurer fudged the figures.
3. It was later discovered that the researchers had fudged their data.

Origin of FUDGE

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1674

Related to FUDGE

Synonyms

equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, tergiversate, waffle, weasel

Related Words

flip-flop, yo-yo; dodge, duck, elude, eschew, evade, shake, shirk, shun, sidestep, skirt; bypass, circumvent; cavil, quibble; straddle

Near Antonyms

clarify, clear (up), explain, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, spell out; decipher

Rhymes with FUDGE

bludge, budge, drudge, grudge, judge, nudge, sludge, smudge, trudge

²fudge

noun

Definition of FUDGE

1

: foolish nonsense —often used interjectionally to express annoyance, disappointment, or disbelief

2

: a soft creamy candy made typically of sugar, milk, butter, and flavoring

3

: something that is fudged; especially : a bending of rules or a compromise

Examples of FUDGE

1. We bought three kinds of fudge.
2. His response to these charges has been a series of denials and fudges.

First Known Use of FUDGE

1766

Related to FUDGE

Synonyms

applesauce [slang], balderdash, baloney (also boloney), beans, bilge, blah (also blah-blah), blarney, blather, blatherskite, blither, bosh, bull [slang], bunk, bunkum (or buncombe), claptrap, codswallop [British], crapola [slang], crock, drivel, drool, fiddle, fiddle-faddle, fiddlesticks, flannel [British], flapdoodle, folderol (also falderal), folly, foolishness, nonsense, garbage, guff, hogwash, hokeypokey, hokum, hoodoo, hooey, horsefeathers [slang], humbug, humbuggery, jazz, malarkey (also malarky), moonshine, muck, nerts [slang], nuts, piffle, poppycock, punk, rot, rubbish, senselessness, silliness, slush, stupidity, taradiddle (or tarradiddle), tommyrot, tosh, trash, trumpery, twaddle

Related Words

absurdity, asininity, fatuity, foolery, idiocy, imbecility, inaneness, inanity, insanity, kookiness, lunacy; absurdness, craziness, madness, senselessness, witlessness; hoity-toity, monkey business, monkeyshine(s), shenanigan(s), tomfoolery; gas, hot air, rigmarole (also rigamarole); double-talk, greek, hocus-pocus

Near Antonyms

levelheadedness, rationality, reasonability, reasonableness, sensibleness; common sense, horse sense, sense; discernment, judgment (or judgement), wisdom

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel