Definition of fiddle
1 : violin
2 : a device (such as a slat, rack, or light railing) to keep objects from sliding off a table aboard ship
3 : fiddlesticks —used as an interjection
4 [2fiddle] chiefly British : swindle
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Examples of fiddle in a Sentence
an expert with the fiddle
arrested for a tax fiddle
Origin and Etymology of fiddle
Middle English fidel, from Old English *fithele, probably from Medieval Latin vitula
First Known Use: 13th century
fiddle
Definition of fiddle
fiddled
;fiddling
play \ˈfid-liŋ, ˈfi-dəl-iŋ\intransitive verb
1 : to play on a fiddle
2a : to move the hands or fingers restlesslyb : to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity : putter, tinker fiddled around with the engine for hoursc : meddle, tamperd : to make minor manual movements especially to adjust something fiddled with the radio knobs
transitive verb
1 : to play (something) on a fiddle fiddle a tune
3 : to alter or manipulate deceptively for fraudulent gain accountants fiddling the books — Stanley Cohen
Examples of fiddle in a Sentence
Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin
14th Century
First Known Use of fiddle
14th century
FIDDLE Defined for English Language Learners
fiddle
playDefinition of fiddle for English Language Learners
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: a dishonest way of getting money
fiddle
Definition of fiddle for English Language Learners
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: to play a violin
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: to secretly change (something, such as information) in a harmful or dishonest way
FIDDLE Defined for Kids
Definition of fiddle for Students
fiddled
;fiddling
1 : to play on a fiddle
2 : to move the hands or fingers restlessly She kept fiddling with her ring.
3 : to spend time in aimless activity They fiddled around and accomplished nothing.
4 : to change or handle in a useless way He fiddled with the controls.
5 : to handle in a harmful or foolish way : tamper Someone has been fiddling with the lock.
fiddler
\ˈfid-lər\ nounLearn More about fiddle
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See words that rhyme with fiddle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fiddle Spanish Central: Translation of fiddle Nglish: Translation of fiddle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fiddle for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fiddle
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