fiddle

verb

/ˈfɪdl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fiddle	/ˈfɪdl/ /ˈfɪdl/
he / she / it fiddles	/ˈfɪdlz/ /ˈfɪdlz/
past simple fiddled	/ˈfɪdld/ /ˈfɪdld/
past participle fiddled	/ˈfɪdld/ /ˈfɪdld/
-ing form fiddling	/ˈfɪdlɪŋ/ /ˈfɪdlɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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[intransitive] fiddle (with something) to keep touching or moving something with your hands, especially because you are bored or nervous
- He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me.
[transitive] fiddle something (informal) to change the details or figures of something in order to try to get money dishonestly or gain an advantage
- to fiddle the accounts
- She fiddled the books (= changed a company's financial records) while working as an accountant.
Topics Moneyc2, Crime and punishmentc2
[intransitive] (informal) to play music on the violin

Word OriginOld English fithele, denoting a violin or similar instrument (originally not an informal or depreciatory term), related to Dutch vedel and German Fiedel, based on Latin vitulari ‘celebrate a festival, be joyful’, perhaps from Vitula, the name of a Roman goddess of joy and victory. Compare with viol.

fiddle

noun

/ˈfɪdl/

(informal)Idioms

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(also violin)
[countable] a musical instrument with strings, that you hold under your chin and play with a bowTopics Musicc2
[countable] (British English) something that is done dishonestly to get money synonym fraud
- an insurance/tax, etc. fiddle
Topics Crime and punishmentc2
[singular] (British English) something that is difficult to do

Idioms

be on the fiddle

(British English) to be doing something dishonest to get money
- Their accountant has been on the fiddle for years.

(as) fit as a fiddle

(informal) in very good physical condition
More Like This Similes in idioms
Similes in idioms
- (as) bald as a coot
- (as) blind as a bat
- (as) bright as a button
- (as) bold as brass
- as busy as a bee
- as clean as a whistle
- (as) dead as a/the dodo
- (as) deaf as a post
- (as) dull as ditchwater
- (as) fit as a fiddle
- as flat as a pancake
- (as) good as gold
- (as) mad as a hatter/a March hare
- (as) miserable/ugly as sin
- as old as the hills
- (as) pleased/proud as Punch
- as pretty as a picture
- (as) regular as clockwork
- (as) quick as a flash
- (as) safe as houses
- (as) sound as a bell
- (as) steady as a rock
- (as) thick as two short planks
- (as) tough as old boots

play second fiddle (to somebody/something)

to be treated as less important than somebody/something; to have a less important position than somebody/something else
- I’m not going to play second fiddle to anyone.
- The narrative in this book plays second fiddle to the excellent photographs.