I. ˈfi-d ə l noun
Etymology: Middle English fidel, from Old English * fithele, probably from Medieval Latin vitula
Date: 13th century
1. : violin
2. : a device (as a slat, rack, or light railing) to keep objects from sliding off a table aboard ship
3. : fiddlesticks — used as an interjection
4.
[ fiddle (II)]
chiefly British : swindle
II. verb
( fid·dled ; fid·dling ˈfid-liŋ, ˈfi-d ə l-iŋ)
Date: 14th century
intransitive verb
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
d. : to make minor manual movements especially to adjust something
fiddled with the radio knobs
transitive verb
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 ˈfid-lər, ˈfi-d ə l-ər noun