Definition of fiddle - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
- He fiddled with his pen during the meeting.
2.
- He likes to fiddle with old radios in his spare time.
3.
musictr./intr. play a violin in a lively folk styletr./intr.
- She loves to fiddle at local folk festivals.
4.
- They fiddled the accounts to hide the losses.
Noun
1.
musicviolin used in folk music
- She played a lively tune on her fiddle.
2.
- He was caught in a tax fiddle.
3.
maritimesmall railing to prevent objects from falling
- The table had a fiddle to keep dishes secure.
Images of fiddle
violin used in folk music 
small railing to prevent objects from falling
Expressions with fiddle
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
manipulate an object in a nervous manner
She fiddled with her pen during the interview.
waste time doing unimportant things
He fiddled about instead of starting his work.
spend time doing unimportant things
He likes to fiddle around instead of working.
waste time or money on unimportant things
He tends to fiddle away his weekends on video games.
make small adjustments without a clear goal
She fiddled around with the radio until it worked.
alter financial records to hide fraud or theft
The accountant was caught trying to fiddle the books.
change numbers to deceive or mislead others
The accountant tried to fiddle the figures to hide losses.
in excellent health or condition
After the surgery, he felt fine as a fiddle.
in excellent condition or working order
The old car is still fit as a fiddle.
take the most prominent role
In the new film, he plays first fiddle as the main character.
take a less important role to someone
She always plays second fiddle to her boss.
manipulate someone skillfully without their awareness
She played her boss like a fiddle.
role of lesser importance or status
He felt unhappy playing second fiddle to his more successful sibling..
alter expense records dishonestly for personal gain
He was caught trying to fiddle expenses at work.
do unimportant things while a big problem happens
He fiddled while Rome burned during the company crisis.
person taking a leading role
In the project, she was the first fiddle.
acting in a dishonest way with money
He was caught acting on the fiddle at work.
manipulate or control someone completely and skillfully
She played Mark like a bass fiddle.
perform music on a fiddle
She loves to play the fiddle at family gatherings.
largest and lowest instrument in the violin family
He played the bass fiddle in the orchestra.
shaped like a fiddle
The fiddle-shaped leaves were unique to that plant species..
be less important than someone else
She always felt she played second fiddle to her older sister.
expression showing sadness or disappointment
He came home with a face as long as a fiddle after the bad news.
scheme to avoid paying full taxes
The company was involved in a tax fiddle for years.
Origin of fiddle
Old English, fithele (fiddle)
Terms with fiddle included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
fidgeting
touch or fiddle with something repeatedly
fiddling
tinker or fiddle with something lightly
tampering
tamper or fiddle with something
shape
shaped like a fiddle
music
sound similar to a fiddle's
music
person who plays the fiddle or violin
music
play the fiddle in a casual way
music
perform music on a fiddle
form
shaped like a fiddle
music
the fiddle part carrying the melody
music
played on a violin or fiddle
fiddle decoration
scroll-shaped decoration at a fiddle's tip
botany
plant with coiled inflorescences resembling a fiddle's neck
Examples of fiddle in a sentence
He fiddled with the radio knobs absentmindedly. She fiddled with the settings until the picture was clear. They often fiddle with the engine to improve performance. He learned to fiddle from his grandfather. They would fiddle together every Sunday afternoon. The broker fiddled investors out of their savings.
He was jailed for fiddling the insurance claim. The fiddle added a rustic charm to the band. He bought a new fiddle for the folk festival. The insurance fiddle cost the company millions. He was involved in a financial fiddle at work. The ship's galley had a fiddle to keep utensils from sliding. Books stayed in place on the shelf thanks to the fiddle.
View all translations of fiddle
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:tripoter, violon, ...
- German:herumspielen, Geige, ...
- Italian:giocherellare, violino, ...
- Spanish:juguetear, violín, ...
- Portuguese:mexer, violino, ...
- Chinese:摆弄, 小提琴, ...
- Japanese:いじる, フィドル, ...
- Arabic:عَبَثَ, كمان, ...
- Hebrew:לְשַׂחֵק, כִּינוֹר, ...
- Russian:вертеть, скрипка, ...
- Ukrainian:бавитися, скрипка, ...
- Hindi:छेड़छाड़ करना, वायलिन, ...
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