What does fiddle mean?
Definitions for fiddle
ˈfɪd lfid·dle
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word fiddle.
Princeton's WordNet
violin, fiddle(verb)
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
fiddle, shirk, shrink from, goldbrick(verb)
avoid (one's assigned duties)
"The derelict soldier shirked his duties"
fiddle(verb)
commit fraud and steal from one's employer
"We found out that she had been fiddling for years"
fiddle(verb)
play the violin or fiddle
fiddle(verb)
play on a violin
"Zuckerman fiddled that song very nicely"
toy, fiddle, diddle, play(verb)
manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
"She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"
tamper, fiddle, monkey(verb)
play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly
"Someone tampered with the documents on my desk"; "The reporter fiddle with the facts"
tinker, fiddle(verb)
try to fix or mend
"Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right"; "She always fiddles with her van on the weekend"
Wiktionary
fiddle(Noun)
Any of various bowed string instruments, often used to refer to a violin when played in any of various traditional styles, as opposed to classical violin.
When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like that, it's a violin.
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Noun)
An adjustment intended to cover up a basic flaw.
That parameter setting is just a fiddle to make the lighting look right.
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Noun)
fraud
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Noun)
On board a ship or boat, a rail or batten around the edge of a table or stove to prevent objects falling off at sea. (Also fiddle rail)
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Verb)
To play aimlessly.
You're fiddling your life away.
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Verb)
To adjust in order to cover a basic flaw or fraud etc.
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
fiddle(Verb)
To play traditional tunes on a violin in a non-classical style.
Etymology: From fithele, from fiðele.
Webster Dictionary
Fiddle(noun)
a stringed instrument of music played with a bow; a violin; a kit
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Fiddle(noun)
a kind of dock (Rumex pulcher) with fiddle-shaped leaves; -- called also fiddle dock
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Fiddle(noun)
a rack or frame of bars connected by strings, to keep table furniture in place on the cabin table in bad weather
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Fiddle(verb)
to play on a fiddle
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Fiddle(verb)
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
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Fiddle(verb)
to play (a tune) on a fiddle
Etymology: [OE. fidele, fithele, AS. fiele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel. fila, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
Freebase
fiddle
A fiddle is any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music. Fiddle playing, or fiddling, refers to various styles of music. Common distinctions between violins and fiddles reflect the differences in the instruments used to play folk and classical music. However, it is not uncommon for classically trained violinists to play folk music, and today many fiddle players have classical training. Many traditional styles are aural traditions, so are taught 'by ear' rather than with written music.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Fiddle
fid′l, n. a stringed instrument of music, called also a Violin.—v.t. or v.i. to play on a fiddle: to be busy over trifles, to trifle:—pr.p. fidd′ling; pa.p. fidd′led.—ns. Fidd′le-block, a long block having two sheaves of different diameters in the same plane; Fidd′le-bow, a bow strung with horse-hair, with which the strings of the fiddle are set vibrating.—interjs. Fidd′le-de-dee, Fidd′lestick (often pl.), nonsense!—v.i. Fidd′le-fadd′le, to trifle, to dally.—n. trifling talk.—adj. fussy, trifling.—interj. nonsense!—n. Fidd′le-fadd′ler.—adj. Fidd′le-fadd′ling.—ns. Fidd′le-head, an ornament at a ship's bow, over the cut-water, consisting of a scroll turning aft or inward; Fidd′ler, one who fiddles: a small crab of genus Gelasimus; Fidd′le-string, a string for a fiddle; Fidd′le-wood, a tropical American tree yielding valuable hard wood.—adj. Fidd′ling, trifling, busy about trifles.—Fiddler's green, a sailor's name for a place of frolic on shore.—Play first, or second, fiddle, to take the part of the first, or second, violin-player in an orchestra: to take a leading, or a subordinate, part in anything; Scotch fiddle, the itch. [A.S. fiðele; Ger. fiedel. See Violin.]
Dictionary of Nautical Terms
fiddle
A contrivance to prevent things from rolling off the table in bad weather. It takes its name from its resemblance to a fiddle, being made of small cords passed through wooden bridges, and hauled very taut.
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of fiddle in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of fiddle in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4
Examples of fiddle in a Sentence
If you stop prioritizing your marriage and allow it to play second fiddle to work, your partner will probably start to feel isolated and angry.
Richard Trumka ... plays her like a fiddle.
I think John Stamos always wanted to be Chachi instead of playing second fiddle to a 3-year-old.
He played us like a fiddle, getting us to go over there and thinking were going to get the rest of the story.
Look, I just think he's uninformed. He knows what he's saying. He's smart. He's playing you guys like a fiddle, the press, by saying outrageous things and garnering attention. That's his strategy, is to dominate the news.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for fiddle
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- كمانArabic
- цигулка, измамаBulgarian
- marnit, šumařitCzech
- ffidilWelsh
- violinDanish
- Geige, fummeln, Violine, krummes Ding, Schiffsgeländer, Fidel, FiedelGerman
- estafa, ajuste, chanchullo, arreglo, tejemaneje, petardo, timo, engaño, violín, engañifa, amañarSpanish
- vilunki, reunalista, viulu, koheltaa, vinguttaa, haaskata, soittaa, viilata, näpelöidä, viritys, temppuFinnish
- crincrin, réglage, traficoter, bidouiller, violon, cote mal taillée, tripoter, ajustement, truc, adaptation, expédient, tour de passe-passe, tripotageFrench
- fidilIrish
- fìdheallScottish Gaelic
- biolManx
- כינורHebrew
- hegedű, hegedülHungarian
- ջութակArmenian
- violinoIdo
- fiðlaIcelandic
- trucco, viola, marchingegno, violino, truffa, frode, stratagemma, parapettoItalian
- フィドル, いじり回すJapanese
- fyllCornish
- ຊໍLao
- vijoleLatvian
- rāwekeweke, raukotiMāori
- гуслаMacedonian
- viool, vedel, fiedelenDutch
- feleNorwegian
- oszustwo, skrzypcePolish
- rabeca, ajuste, falcatrua, violino, logro, vadiar, ajeitar, fraudePortuguese
- надувательство, возиться, химичить, [[тратить]] [[время]] [[попусту]], мошенничество, мять, скрипка, трюк, теребитьRussian
- fiolSwedish
- ซอThai
- 小提琴Chinese
Get even more translations for fiddle »
Translation
Find a translation for the fiddle definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
"fiddle." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 27 Jan. 2021. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/fiddle>.