fiddle
verb/ˈfɪdl/
/ˈfɪdl/
Verb Forms
Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they fiddle | /ˈfɪdl/ /ˈfɪdl/ |
| he / she / it fiddles | /ˈfɪdlz/ /ˈfɪdlz/ |
| past simple fiddled | /ˈfɪdld/ /ˈfɪdld/ |
| past participle fiddled | /ˈfɪdld/ /ˈfɪdld/ |
| -ing form fiddling | /ˈfɪdlɪŋ/ /ˈfɪdlɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] fiddle (with something) to keep touching or moving something with your hands, especially because you are bored or nervous
- He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me.
- [transitive] fiddle something (informal) to change the details or figures of something in order to try to get money dishonestly or gain an advantage
- to fiddle the accounts
- She fiddled the books (= changed a company's financial records) while working as an accountant.
- [intransitive] (informal) to play music on the violin
Word OriginOld English fithele, denoting a violin or similar instrument (originally not an informal or depreciatory term), related to Dutch vedel and German Fiedel, based on Latin vitulari ‘celebrate a festival, be joyful’, perhaps from Vitula, the name of a Roman goddess of joy and victory. Compare with viol.
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fiddle