fiddle Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
violin.
verb avoid (one's assigned duties)
goldbrick; shrink from; shirk.
- The derelict soldier shirked his duties
verb commit fraud and steal from one's employer
- We found out that she had been fiddling for years
verb play the violin or fiddle
verb play on a violin
- Zuckerman fiddled that song very nicely
verb manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
diddle; toy; play.
- She played nervously with her wedding ring
- Don't fiddle with the screws
- He played with the idea of running for the Senate
verb play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly
tamper; monkey.
- Someone tampered with the documents on my desk
- The reporter fiddle with the facts
verb try to fix or mend
tinker.
- Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right
- She always fiddles with her van on the weekend

OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.

(Mus.) A stringed instrument of music played with a bow; a violin; a kit.
(Bot.) A kind of dock (Rumex pulcher) with fiddle-shaped leaves; -- called also fiddle dock.
(Naut.) A rack or frame of bars connected by strings, to keep table furniture in place on the cabin table in bad weather. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

imperfect & past participle Fiddled ; present participle & verbal noun Fiddling

To play on a fiddle.
Themistocles . . . said he could not fiddle, but he could make a small town a great city. Bacon.
To keep the hands and fingers actively moving as a fiddler does; to move the hands and fingers restlessy or in busy idleness; to trifle.
Talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers. Pepys.