[fid.dle] n [ME fidel, fr. (assumed) OE fithele, prob. fr. ML vitula] (13c) 1: violin
2: a device (as a slat, rack, or light railing) to keep dishes from sliding off a table aboard ship
3: fiddlesticks--used as an interjection
4. [
[2]fiddle] chiefly Brit: swindle
[2]fiddle vb fid.dled ; fid.dling vi (14c) 1: to play on a fiddle
2. a: to move the hands or fingers restlessly b: to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity: putter, tinker "fiddled around with the engine for hours" c: meddle, tamper ~ vt 1: to play (as a tune) on a fiddle
2: cheat, swindle
3: to alter or manipulate deceptively for fraudulent gain "accountants fiddling the books --Stanley Cohen" -- fid.dler n