fiddle

[[t]fɪ̱d(ə)l[/t]]

fiddles, fiddling, fiddled

1) VERB If you fiddle with an object, you keep moving it or touching it with your fingers.

[V with n] Harriet fiddled with a pen on the desk.

2) VERB If you fiddle with something, you change it in minor ways.

[V with n] She told Whistler that his portrait of her was finished and to stop fiddling with it.

3) VERB If you fiddle with a machine, you adjust it.

[V with n] He turned on the radio and fiddled with the knob until he got a talk show.

4) VERB If someone fiddles financial documents, they alter them dishonestly so that they get money for themselves. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

[V n] He's been fiddling the books...

[V n] Stop fiddling your expenses account.

5) N-COUNT: oft supp N A fiddle is a dishonest action or scheme in which someone gets money for themselves. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

Police investigating a ₤10 million car insurance fiddle arrested 16 people yesterday.

...legitimate businesses that act as covers for tax fiddles.

Syn:

swindle

6) N-SING: a N If something is a fiddle, it is quite difficult to do because it involves small or complicated objects. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

I found out how to fix the tray on - a bit of a fiddle

7) N-VAR: oft the N Some people call violins fiddles, especially when they are used to play folk music.

Hardy as a young man played the fiddle at local dances.

Syn:

violin

8) PHRASE: v-link PHR Someone who is as fit as a fiddle is very healthy and full of energy.

I'm as fit as a fiddle - with energy to spare.

9) PHRASE: v-link PHR If someone is on the fiddle, they get money by doing illegal or dishonest things. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

10) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone is fiddling while Rome burns, you mean that they are not dealing with a difficult or dangerous situation but instead are doing useless things or pretending that nothing is wrong.

11) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR to n If you play second fiddle to someone, your position is less important than theirs in something that you are doing together.

She hated the thought of playing second fiddle to Rose.

Phrasal Verbs:

- fiddle around