英语词汇“fiddle”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

fiddle

(fɪdəl )

Word forms: fiddles , fiddling , fiddled

1. verb

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

Harriet fiddled with a pen on the desk. [VERB + with]

Synonyms: fidget, play, finger, toy

2. verb

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

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

3. verb

If you fiddle with a machine, you adjust it.

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

Synonyms: tinker, adjust, interfere, mess about or around

4. verb

If someone fiddles financial documents, they alter them dishonestly so that they get money for themselves. [British, informal]

He's been fiddling the books. [VERB noun]

Stop fiddling your expenses account. [VERB noun]

Synonyms: cheat, cook [informal], fix, manoeuvre [informal]

5. countable noun [oft supplement NOUN]

A fiddle is a dishonest action or scheme in which someone gets money for themselves. [British, informal]

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

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

Synonyms: fraud, racket, scam [slang], piece of sharp practice

6. singular noun [a NOUN]

If something is a fiddle, it is quite difficult to do because it involves small or complicated objects. [British, informal]

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

7. variable noun

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.

Synonyms: violin

8. fit as a fiddle phrase

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.

Synonyms: healthy, strong, sound, blooming

9. on the fiddle phrase [verb-link PHRASE]

If someone is on the fiddle, they get money by doing illegal or dishonest things. [British, informal]

10. fiddle while Rome burns phrase [VERB 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. to play second fiddle phrase

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

regional note: in BRIT, also use fiddle about

1. phrasal verb

If you fiddle around or fiddle about with a machine, you do things to it to try and make it work.

Two of them got out to fiddle around with the engine. [VERB PARTICLE + with]

[Also VERB PARTICLE]

2. phrasal verb

If someone fiddles around or fiddles about, they waste time doing unimportant things instead of dealing with important problems. [disapproval]

Lawmakers have to stop fiddling around as the country moves closer to breaking up. [VERB PARTICLE]

He wastes time fiddling about with minor matters. [VERB PARTICLE with noun]

3. phrasal verb

If you say that someone is fiddling around with or fiddling about with something, you mean that they are changing it in a way that you disapprove of. [disapproval]

They're fiddling around with the budget. [VERB PARTICLE PARTICLE noun]

One always wonders when a man starts fiddling about with his Will. [VERB PARTICLE PARTICLE noun]

Image of fiddle

Idioms:

fit as a fiddle

very fit and healthy

I'm as fit as a fiddle, I'm never ill, I have an iron constitution.

play second fiddle

to have to accept that you are less important than someone else

The 44-year-old senator will play second fiddle to a man who has been his junior in the Democrat hierarchy.

be on the fiddle [British]

to be getting money dishonestly, for example by cheating with the accounts at work

A postman earning only £136 a week drove around in a Porsche for six months before his bosses realized he was on the fiddle.

fiddle while Rome burns

to do nothing or spend your time on unimportant things when you have very serious issues or problems to deal with

Fighting with one another over small details is like fiddling while Rome burns: it is a distraction from the main issue.

Collocations:

fiddle player

With her was a seven-strong ensemble, including electric and acoustic guitarists, a saxophonist and fiddle player.

Times, Sunday Times

Even when she brought on a three-piece band - a percussionist, bassist and fiddle player - no one dared talk.

Times, Sunday Times

It marks an incredible rise for a singer/fiddle player on a mission to bring folk music to the masses without compromising his style.

The Sun

They were a rock band, but one with a fiddle player as frontman.

Times, Sunday Times

He was a competent harmonica player, fiddle player and sang many of his most memorable songs a cappella.