fiddle

[fid-l] /ˈfɪd l/
noun
1.
a musical instrument of the viol family.
2.
violin:
Her aunt plays first fiddle with the state symphony orchestra.
3.
Nautical. a small ledge or barrier raised in heavy weather to keep dishes, pots, utensils, etc., from sliding off tables and stoves.
4.
British Informal. swindle; fraud.
verb (used without object), fiddled, fiddling.
5.
to play on the fiddle.
6.
to make trifling or fussing movements with the hands (often followed by with):
fiddling with his cuffs.
7.
to touch or manipulate something, as to operate or adjust it; tinker (often followed by with):
You may have to fiddle with the antenna to get a clear picture on the TV.
8.
to waste time; trifle; dally (often followed by around):
Stop fiddling around and get to work.
9.
British Informal. to cheat.
verb (used with object), fiddled, fiddling.
10.
to play (a tune) on a fiddle.
11.
to trifle or waste (usually used with away):
to fiddle time away.
12.
Bookbinding. to bind together (sections or leaves of a book) by threading a cord through holes cut lengthwise into the back.
13.
British Informal.
  1. to falsify:
    to fiddle the account books.
  2. to cheat:
    to fiddle the company out of expense money.
Idioms
14.
fine as a fiddle, South Midland and Southern U.S. fiddle (def 15).
15.
fit as a fiddle, in perfect health; very fit:
The doctor told him he was fit as a fiddle.
Also, as fit as a fiddle.
16.
play second fiddle. second fiddle.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English; Old English fithele (cognate with German Fiedel, Dutch vedel, Old High German fidula) probably < Vulgar Latin *vītula (cf. viol, viola1), perhaps derivative of Latin vītulārī to rejoice
Examples from the web for fiddle
  • Some tunes alternated unison and harmony playing, the fiddle lines fanning out in a burst of consonance.
  • The ability to keep on cashing out is what tempted some to fiddle the books.
  • Some may fiddle with color to make flowers on a greeting card look extra-bright.
  • But imagine if you could sleep for five months and still wake up fit as a fiddle.
  • But not all filmmakers had the time or budget to fiddle around with dinosaur models.
  • They experiment, fiddle around and often have fewer restrictions on what they think is possible.
  • Everybody has to fiddle with six different standards.
  • Their songs ran the gamut in styles, everything from mountain ballads to fiddle tunes and railroad blues.
  • Indeed, there's much to be said for not having to fiddle with a focus dial every time you move the projector half an inch.
  • The musicians are joined by two boys on fiddle and banjo.
British Dictionary definitions for fiddle

fiddle

/ˈfɪdəl/
noun
1.
(informal) any instrument of the viol or violin family, esp the violin
2.
a violin played as a folk instrument
3.
time-wasting or trifling behaviour; nonsense; triviality
4.
(nautical) a small railing around the top of a table to prevent objects from falling off it in bad weather
5.
(Brit, informal) an illegal or fraudulent transaction or arrangement
6.
(Brit, informal) a manually delicate or tricky operation
7.
(informal) at the fiddle, on the fiddle, engaged in an illegal or fraudulent undertaking
8.
(informal) face as long as a fiddle, a dismal or gloomy facial expression
9.
(informal) fit as a fiddle, in very good health
10.
(informal) play second fiddle, to be subordinate; play a minor part
verb
11.
to play (a tune) on the fiddle
12.
(intransitive) often foll by with. to make restless or aimless movements with the hands
13.
(informal) when intr, often foll by about or around. to spend (time) or act in a careless or inconsequential manner; waste (time)
14.
(often foll by with) (informal) to tamper or interfere (with)
15.
(informal) to contrive to do (something) by illicit means or deception: he fiddled his way into a position of trust
16.
(transitive) (informal) to falsify (accounts, etc); swindle
Word Origin
Old English fithele, probably from Medieval Latin vītula, from Latin vītulārī to celebrate; compare Old High German fidula fiddle; see viola1
Word Origin and History for fiddle
n.

late 14c., fedele, earlier fithele, from Old English fiðele, which is related to Old Norse fiðla, Middle Dutch vedele, Dutch vedel, Old High German fidula, German Fiedel; all of uncertain origin.

Perhaps from Medieval Latin vitula "stringed instrument," which is perhaps related to Latin vitularia "celebrate joyfully," from Vitula, Roman goddess of joy and victory, who probably, like her name, originated among the Sabines [Klein, Barnhart]. Unless the Medieval Latin word is from the Germanic ones.

Fiddle has been relegated to colloquial usage by its more proper cousin, violin, a process encouraged by phraseology such as fiddlesticks, contemptuous nonsense word fiddlededee (1784), and fiddle-faddle. Fit as a fiddle is from 1610s.

v.

late 14c., from fiddle (n.); the figurative sense of "to act nervously or idly" is from 1520s. Related: Fiddled; fiddling.

fiddle in Culture

fiddle definition


Another name for the violin; fiddle is the more common term for the instrument as played in folk music and bluegrass.

Slang definitions & phrases for fiddle

fiddle

noun

: His new boat is a tax fiddle (1874+)

verb
  1. (also fiddle around or vfiddle fart around or fiddlefartx) To waste time; goof around, fart around: and the school board fiddled (entry form 1663+)
  2. To cheat; defraud (1604+)
Related Terms

bull fiddle, git-box, play second fiddle, second fiddle


Idioms and Phrases with fiddle

fiddle

In addition to the idiom beginning with
fiddle
also see: