fiddle
To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country styleTo play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style.
» Tom plays the fiddle.
Том играет на скрипке.
Том грає на скрипці.
Meaning
5 senses(intransitive)To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style.
to fiddle while Rome burns
play the violin or fiddle
(informal, transitive)To fraudulently manipulate (records, accounts, etc.) in order to cheat or swindle.
Fred was sacked when the auditors caught him fiddling the books.
(intransitive)To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness; see also fiddle with.
Sit up straight and stop fiddling!
fummeln
тра́тить вре́мя по́пустуtrátitʹ vrémja pópustu, тереби́тьterebítʹ, мятьmjatʹ
(informal, intransitive)Synonym of tinker (“to make small adjustments or improvements”); see also fiddle with.
I don't exactly know how to fix this lawnmower; I'm really just fiddling.
(UK, intransitive, obsolete, slang)To do odd jobs for money.
Examples
37 sentencesTom plays the fiddle.
Том грає на скрипці. — deniko
ruТом играет на скрипке. — nina99nv
Tom is fiddling with his bow tie.
Tom plays fiddle in a bluegrass band.
Tom is always fiddling with his smartphone.
You're certainly looking fit as a fiddle today.
ruДа, сегодня ты выглядишь как нельзя лучше. — Hellerick
deNa, heute siehst du ja fit wie ein Turnschuh aus. — qweruiop
Translations
5 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, fFrom Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, trousers, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).
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Forms
fiddles, fiddling, fiddled, fiddledPhrasal verbs
4 phrasal verbs- fiddle awayTo play the fiddle idly.
- fiddle aroundTo toy or play (with something) in an idle, fidgety, aimless or unstructured way; to mess around (with); to muck around (with).
- fiddle aboutSynonym of fiddle around.
- fiddle withTo manipulate or toy with (an object), especially in a nervous, restless or aimless manner.
Synonyms
9 synonymsWord family
9 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle