See fiddle on Wiktionary
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "Apache fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "bass fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "bull fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "face as long as a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "face like a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "face made of a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddleback"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddleback wood"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle beetle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle block"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-boat"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-bow"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-brained"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle brake"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-case"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlecome"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-come-faddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddledeedee"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-dock"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-drill"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-fabricant"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-faced"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle factor"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-faddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-fancier"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-fish"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-flanked"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-footed"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-grass"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlehead"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-holder"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle idol"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddleist"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddleleaf"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-lipped"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-lore"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-lover"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-make"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-maker"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-making"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlement"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddleneck"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-pattern"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-patterned"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddler crab"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddler's money"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlery"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddles"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-scraping"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle-shaped"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlesome"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlestick"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlesticks"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlestring"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlewood"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddley"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle yard"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddley-did"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddliness"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlist"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddly"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fine as a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "first fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fit as a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "guitar fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "hang up one's fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "hang up one's fiddle when one comes home"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "Hardanger fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "Hardanger-fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "horsehead fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "keyed fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "lead fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "macaroni fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "on the fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "phonofiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "play first fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "play second fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "play someone like a bass fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "play someone like a fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "play third fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "Scotch fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "second fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "spike fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "taro-patch fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "troubadour fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "Welsh fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "wheel fiddle"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddler"
}
],
"descendants": [
{
"depth": 1,
"templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "sw",
"2": "fidla",
"bor": "1"
},
"expansion": "→ Swahili: fidla",
"name": "desc"
}
],
"text": "→ Swahili: fidla"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fiddles",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle (plural fiddles)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "1 16 4 5 4 9 2 17 2 19 8 3 3 4 1 3",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "String instruments",
"orig": "en:String instruments",
"parents": [
"Musical instruments",
"Music",
"Tools",
"Art",
"Sound",
"Technology",
"Culture",
"Energy",
"All topics",
"Society",
"Nature",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1275, Layamon, Brut, Cotton Caligula A.IX, l. 3490",
"text": "...Of harpe & of salteriun. of fiðele & of coriun..."
},
{
"ref": "1864, William Sandys et al., The History of the Violin..., page 38:",
"text": "The fiddle of these early times, however, was the viol and not our modern violin.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1979, Charlie Daniels et al., The Devil Went Down to Georgia:",
"text": "Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard\n'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia an' the Devil deals the cards...",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"text": "When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like that, it's a violin.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of violin, a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin, shoulder, chest or on the upper thigh and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; (usually proscribed) any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-cICZtkAV",
"links": [
[
"violin",
"violin#English"
],
[
"small",
"small"
],
[
"unfretted",
"unfretted"
],
[
"stringed instrument",
"stringed instrument"
],
[
"four",
"four"
],
[
"string",
"string"
],
[
"tune",
"tune"
],
[
"lowest",
"lowest"
],
[
"highest",
"highest"
],
[
"G",
"G"
],
[
"D",
"D"
],
[
"A",
"A"
],
[
"E",
"E"
],
[
"usually",
"usually"
],
[
"held",
"held"
],
[
"chin",
"chin"
],
[
"shoulder",
"shoulder"
],
[
"chest",
"chest"
],
[
"thigh",
"thigh"
],
[
"played",
"played"
],
[
"bow",
"bow"
],
[
"position",
"position"
],
[
"violinist",
"violinist"
],
[
"band",
"band"
],
[
"bowed",
"bowed"
]
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin, shoulder, chest or on the upper thigh and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; (usually proscribed) any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "violin"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, page 208:",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"text": "You would not have your Son the Fiddle to every jovial Company."
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of clown: an unserious person entertaining a group."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun---KGM5uz",
"links": [
[
"clown",
"clown#English"
],
[
"unserious",
"unserious"
],
[
"person",
"person"
],
[
"entertain",
"entertain"
],
[
"group",
"group"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Synonym of clown: an unserious person entertaining a group."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "an unserious person entertaining a group",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "clown"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "American English",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1947 June 22, People, p. 4",
"text": "Says Bevin: 'I want peace... and we shan't get it unless we deal with one another as friends. I will be a party to no fiddles.'"
},
{
"ref": "1959 Sept. 4, The Spectator, p. 297",
"text": "I know you'll think this is one of my fiddles. At my last parish we raffled a horse and trap,... a clothes horse and a mousetrap."
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"Synonym of scam, a fraud or swindle."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-jPkjm1CE",
"links": [
[
"Unskillful",
"unskillful"
],
[
"unartful",
"unartful"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"showy",
"showy"
],
[
"superficially",
"superficially"
],
[
"pleasing",
"pleasing"
],
[
"scam",
"scam#English"
],
[
"fraud",
"fraud"
],
[
"swindle",
"swindle"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"(chiefly US, dated slang) Synonym of scam, a fraud or swindle."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a fraud or swindle",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "scam"
}
],
"tags": [
"US",
"dated",
"figuratively",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "That parameter setting is just a fiddle to make the lighting look right.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"Synonym of workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun--8gIy9xi",
"links": [
[
"Unskillful",
"unskillful"
],
[
"unartful",
"unartful"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"showy",
"showy"
],
[
"superficially",
"superficially"
],
[
"pleasing",
"pleasing"
],
[
"workaround",
"workaround#English"
],
[
"quick",
"quick"
],
[
"less than",
"less than"
],
[
"perfect",
"perfect"
],
[
"solution",
"solution"
],
[
"some",
"some"
],
[
"flaw",
"flaw"
],
[
"problem",
"problem"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"(slang) Synonym of workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "workaround"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Nautical",
"orig": "en:Nautical",
"parents": [
"Transport",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1962 September, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The Talgo trains of Spain”, in Modern Railways, page 188:",
"text": "The meal is served on special trays which slot into the arms of airline-type seats of the passenger coaches. The trays have fiddles for each of the plates, cups and glasses, and the crockery is so well-designed that it is seldom any of the contents get spilled.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-dFXQ3wkl",
"links": [
[
"nautical",
"nautical"
],
[
"Any",
"any"
],
[
"rail",
"rail"
],
[
"device",
"device"
],
[
"prevent",
"prevent"
],
[
"item",
"item"
],
[
"sliding",
"sliding"
],
[
"table",
"table"
],
[
"stove",
"stove"
],
[
"rough",
"rough"
],
[
"water",
"water"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(especially nautical) Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water."
],
"tags": [
"especially"
],
"topics": [
"nautical",
"transport"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "12 3 7 6 42 4 9 2 9 4 2",
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "balancera"
},
{
"_dis1": "12 3 7 6 42 4 9 2 9 4 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"word": "reunalista"
},
{
"_dis1": "12 3 7 6 42 4 9 2 9 4 2",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Schiffsgeländer"
},
{
"_dis1": "12 3 7 6 42 4 9 2 9 4 2",
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "parapetto"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "British English",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of arrest warrant."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-t0npSzFk",
"links": [
[
"arrest warrant",
"arrest warrant#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) Synonym of arrest warrant."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "arrest warrant"
}
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "British English",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "2 10 5 6 6 10 4 21 3 9 10 2 1 5 2 5",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "1 8 8 10 9 9 2 16 2 7 8 2 2 10 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "1 11 5 6 6 11 3 22 2 9 11 2 2 5 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "1 11 5 6 6 12 1 23 1 9 12 1 1 6 1 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 8 6 9 5 7 6 16 5 7 7 3 2 7 3 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "4 8 11 8 5 7 7 14 5 8 5 2 1 6 3 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Czech translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 9 6 7 6 10 4 15 3 8 8 4 3 8 3 5",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 8 6 8 5 7 6 16 6 7 7 3 2 7 3 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 10 6 7 6 9 4 15 3 8 8 4 3 8 3 5",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with French translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 9 7 7 7 9 4 17 3 9 8 3 2 8 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with German translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "5 8 10 7 6 6 7 14 4 8 5 4 1 5 4 7",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 9 6 7 7 10 3 17 3 9 9 3 2 8 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Italian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 9 6 8 8 10 3 17 3 8 9 3 2 7 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 7 5 9 7 7 8 15 7 9 6 6 1 4 2 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 8 6 10 6 7 6 16 5 7 7 3 2 6 3 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Maori translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 8 8 9 5 8 6 17 6 8 7 3 2 6 2 5",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Occitan translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 8 10 8 5 7 5 15 5 8 6 4 1 7 3 6",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "2 9 7 8 8 9 3 17 2 8 8 3 2 8 2 4",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Russian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "3 10 5 6 6 9 4 17 3 10 9 4 2 5 3 5",
"kind": "lifeform",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Buckwheat family plants",
"orig": "en:Buckwheat family plants",
"parents": [
"Caryophyllales order plants",
"Plants",
"Lifeforms",
"All topics",
"Life",
"Fundamental",
"Nature"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "1 16 4 5 4 9 2 17 2 19 8 3 3 4 1 3",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "String instruments",
"orig": "en:String instruments",
"parents": [
"Musical instruments",
"Music",
"Tools",
"Art",
"Sound",
"Technology",
"Culture",
"Energy",
"All topics",
"Society",
"Nature",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of watchman's rattle."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-bbaLBjX~",
"links": [
[
"watchman's rattle",
"watchman's rattle#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) Synonym of watchman's rattle."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "watchman's rattle"
}
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "British English",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Done at a fiddle.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A trifling amount."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-hn0EAvKv",
"links": [
[
"trifling",
"trifling"
],
[
"amount",
"amount"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) A trifling amount."
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Biology",
"orig": "en:Biology",
"parents": [
"Sciences",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "1 16 4 5 4 9 2 17 2 19 8 3 3 4 1 3",
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "String instruments",
"orig": "en:String instruments",
"parents": [
"Musical instruments",
"Music",
"Tools",
"Art",
"Sound",
"Technology",
"Culture",
"Energy",
"All topics",
"Society",
"Nature",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-2M2jfWHM",
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"biology",
"biology"
],
[
"dock",
"dock"
],
[
"leaves",
"leaf"
],
[
"supposed",
"supposed"
],
[
"resemble",
"resemble"
],
[
"musical instrument",
"musical instrument"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"(biology) A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument."
],
"topics": [
"biology",
"natural-sciences"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-045ImDf~",
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"long",
"long"
],
[
"pole",
"pole"
],
[
"pull",
"pull"
],
[
"draft animal",
"draft animal"
],
[
"drag",
"drag"
],
[
"loose",
"loose"
],
[
"straw",
"straw"
],
[
"hay",
"hay"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc."
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A rack for drying pottery after glazing."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-noun-QEB~4o54",
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"rack",
"rack"
],
[
"dry",
"dry"
],
[
"pottery",
"pottery"
],
[
"glazing",
"glazing"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"A rack for drying pottery after glazing."
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
{
"derived": [
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddler"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle about"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle around"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle away"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlefart"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddlefuck"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle the books"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle while Rome burns"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "fiddle with"
},
{
"_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
"word": "refiddle"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fiddles",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddling",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddled",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddled",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle (third-person singular simple present fiddles, present participle fiddling, simple past and past participle fiddled)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "to fiddle while Rome burns",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:",
"text": "Themistocles […] said he could not fiddle, but yet he could make a small town a great city.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-verb-ib4Aku5A",
"links": [
[
"play",
"play"
],
[
"fiddle",
"#Noun"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"folk",
"folk music"
],
[
"country",
"country music"
],
[
"style",
"style"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "84 11 3 2",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "šumařit"
},
{
"_dis1": "84 11 3 2",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "fiedelen"
},
{
"_dis1": "84 11 3 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"tags": [
"derogatory"
],
"word": "vinguttaa viulua"
},
{
"_dis1": "84 11 3 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "soittaa viulua"
},
{
"_dis1": "84 11 3 2",
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "hegedül"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Stop fiddling with your food. Either tell me what's wrong or just eat.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1530, John Palsgrave, Lesclarcissement, page 549:",
"text": "Loke you fydell nat with your handes whan your maister speketh to you.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1663 July 23 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “July 13th, 1663”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume III, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1893, →OCLC:",
"text": "[…] talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Eternal City”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 425:",
"text": "Yossarian went along in Milo Minderbinder's speeding M & M staff car to police headquarters to meet a swarthy, untidy police commissioner with a narrow black mustache and unbuttoned tunic who was fiddling with a stout woman with warts and two chins when they entered his office and who greeted Milo with warm surprise and bowed and scraped in obscene servility as though Milo were some elegant marquis.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-verb-Bh~0riJ~",
"links": [
[
"fidget",
"fidget"
],
[
"play",
"play"
],
[
"idly",
"idly"
],
[
"amuse",
"amuse"
],
[
"oneself",
"oneself"
],
[
"act",
"act"
],
[
"aimlessly",
"aimlessly"
],
[
"frivolously",
"frivolously"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"nervousness",
"nervousness"
],
[
"restlessness",
"restlessness"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "mōsuǒ, mōsuo",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "摸索"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "盤弄 /盘弄"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "pánnòng",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "盤弄 /盘弄"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "marnit"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "koheltaa"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "haaskata"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "räplätä"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "bidouiller"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "tripoter"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "fummeln"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"alt": "いじりまわす",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "ijirimawasu",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "いじり回す"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "rāwekeweke"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "rahurahu"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "raukoti"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "oc",
"lang": "Occitan",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "bidolhar"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "vadiar"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "trátitʹ vrémja pópustu",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "тра́тить вре́мя по́пусту"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "ru",
"english": "to toy, to trifle with something",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "terebítʹ",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "тереби́ть"
},
{
"_dis1": "22 70 0 8",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjatʹ",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "мять"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Fred was sacked when the auditors caught him fiddling the books.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-verb-KQPkGKrE",
"links": [
[
"cheat",
"cheat"
],
[
"swindle",
"swindle"
],
[
"fraud",
"fraud"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, transitive) To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud."
],
"tags": [
"informal",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Coordinate term: fettle"
},
{
"text": "I needed to fiddle with these settings to get the image to look right.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of tinker (“to make small adjustments or improvements”)."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-verb-en:sort_out_by_tinkering",
"links": [
[
"tinker",
"tinker#English"
],
[
"make",
"make"
],
[
"small",
"small"
],
[
"adjustment",
"adjustment"
],
[
"improvement",
"improvement"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, transitive) Synonym of tinker (“to make small adjustments or improvements”)."
],
"senseid": [
"en:sort out by tinkering"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "to make small adjustments or improvements",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "tinker"
}
],
"tags": [
"informal",
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
{
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle",
"name": "en-interjection"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "intj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Oh, fiddle. I left my whip in the stable.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of fiddlesticks."
],
"id": "en-fiddle-en-intj-6deUcgo1",
"links": [
[
"fiddlesticks",
"fiddlesticks#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(obsolete) Synonym of fiddlesticks."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "fiddlesticks"
}
],
"tags": [
"obsolete"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English interjections",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl/2 syllables",
"Terms with Catalan translations",
"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Japanese translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Maori translations",
"Terms with Occitan translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"en:Buckwheat family plants",
"en:String instruments"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "Apache fiddle"
},
{
"word": "bass fiddle"
},
{
"word": "bull fiddle"
},
{
"word": "face as long as a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "face like a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "face made of a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "fiddleback"
},
{
"word": "fiddleback wood"
},
{
"word": "fiddle beetle"
},
{
"word": "fiddle block"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-boat"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-bow"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-brained"
},
{
"word": "fiddle brake"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-case"
},
{
"word": "fiddlecome"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-come-faddle"
},
{
"word": "fiddledeedee"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-dock"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-drill"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-fabricant"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-faced"
},
{
"word": "fiddle factor"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-faddle"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-fancier"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-fish"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-flanked"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-footed"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-grass"
},
{
"word": "fiddlehead"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-holder"
},
{
"word": "fiddle idol"
},
{
"word": "fiddleist"
},
{
"word": "fiddleleaf"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-lipped"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-lore"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-lover"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-make"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-maker"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-making"
},
{
"word": "fiddlement"
},
{
"word": "fiddleneck"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-pattern"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-patterned"
},
{
"word": "fiddler"
},
{
"word": "fiddler crab"
},
{
"word": "fiddler's money"
},
{
"word": "fiddlery"
},
{
"word": "fiddles"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-scraping"
},
{
"word": "fiddle-shaped"
},
{
"word": "fiddlesome"
},
{
"word": "fiddlestick"
},
{
"word": "fiddlesticks"
},
{
"word": "fiddlestring"
},
{
"word": "fiddlewood"
},
{
"word": "fiddley"
},
{
"word": "fiddle yard"
},
{
"word": "fiddley-did"
},
{
"word": "fiddliness"
},
{
"word": "fiddlist"
},
{
"word": "fiddly"
},
{
"word": "fine as a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "first fiddle"
},
{
"word": "fit as a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "guitar fiddle"
},
{
"word": "hang up one's fiddle"
},
{
"word": "hang up one's fiddle when one comes home"
},
{
"word": "Hardanger fiddle"
},
{
"word": "Hardanger-fiddle"
},
{
"word": "horsehead fiddle"
},
{
"word": "keyed fiddle"
},
{
"word": "lead fiddle"
},
{
"word": "macaroni fiddle"
},
{
"word": "on the fiddle"
},
{
"word": "phonofiddle"
},
{
"word": "play first fiddle"
},
{
"word": "play second fiddle"
},
{
"word": "play someone like a bass fiddle"
},
{
"word": "play someone like a fiddle"
},
{
"word": "play third fiddle"
},
{
"word": "Scotch fiddle"
},
{
"word": "second fiddle"
},
{
"word": "spike fiddle"
},
{
"word": "taro-patch fiddle"
},
{
"word": "there's many a good tune played on an old fiddle"
},
{
"word": "troubadour fiddle"
},
{
"word": "Welsh fiddle"
},
{
"word": "wheel fiddle"
}
],
"descendants": [
{
"depth": 1,
"templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "sw",
"2": "fidla",
"bor": "1"
},
"expansion": "→ Swahili: fidla",
"name": "desc"
}
],
"text": "→ Swahili: fidla"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fiddles",
"tags": [
"plural"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle (plural fiddles)",
"name": "en-noun"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English proscribed terms",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "c. 1275, Layamon, Brut, Cotton Caligula A.IX, l. 3490",
"text": "...Of harpe & of salteriun. of fiðele & of coriun..."
},
{
"ref": "1864, William Sandys et al., The History of the Violin..., page 38:",
"text": "The fiddle of these early times, however, was the viol and not our modern violin.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1979, Charlie Daniels et al., The Devil Went Down to Georgia:",
"text": "Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard\n'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia an' the Devil deals the cards...",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"text": "When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like that, it's a violin.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of violin, a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin, shoulder, chest or on the upper thigh and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; (usually proscribed) any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically."
],
"links": [
[
"violin",
"violin#English"
],
[
"small",
"small"
],
[
"unfretted",
"unfretted"
],
[
"stringed instrument",
"stringed instrument"
],
[
"four",
"four"
],
[
"string",
"string"
],
[
"tune",
"tune"
],
[
"lowest",
"lowest"
],
[
"highest",
"highest"
],
[
"G",
"G"
],
[
"D",
"D"
],
[
"A",
"A"
],
[
"E",
"E"
],
[
"usually",
"usually"
],
[
"held",
"held"
],
[
"chin",
"chin"
],
[
"shoulder",
"shoulder"
],
[
"chest",
"chest"
],
[
"thigh",
"thigh"
],
[
"played",
"played"
],
[
"bow",
"bow"
],
[
"position",
"position"
],
[
"violinist",
"violinist"
],
[
"band",
"band"
],
[
"bowed",
"bowed"
]
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin, shoulder, chest or on the upper thigh and played with a bow; the position of a violinist in a band; (usually proscribed) any of various bowed stringed instruments, particularly those of the violin family when played non-classically",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "violin"
}
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1693, John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education, page 208:",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"text": "You would not have your Son the Fiddle to every jovial Company."
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of clown: an unserious person entertaining a group."
],
"links": [
[
"clown",
"clown#English"
],
[
"unserious",
"unserious"
],
[
"person",
"person"
],
[
"entertain",
"entertain"
],
[
"group",
"group"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Synonym of clown: an unserious person entertaining a group."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "an unserious person entertaining a group",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "clown"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"American English",
"English dated terms",
"English slang"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1947 June 22, People, p. 4",
"text": "Says Bevin: 'I want peace... and we shan't get it unless we deal with one another as friends. I will be a party to no fiddles.'"
},
{
"ref": "1959 Sept. 4, The Spectator, p. 297",
"text": "I know you'll think this is one of my fiddles. At my last parish we raffled a horse and trap,... a clothes horse and a mousetrap."
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"Synonym of scam, a fraud or swindle."
],
"links": [
[
"Unskillful",
"unskillful"
],
[
"unartful",
"unartful"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"showy",
"showy"
],
[
"superficially",
"superficially"
],
[
"pleasing",
"pleasing"
],
[
"scam",
"scam#English"
],
[
"fraud",
"fraud"
],
[
"swindle",
"swindle"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"(chiefly US, dated slang) Synonym of scam, a fraud or swindle."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a fraud or swindle",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "scam"
}
],
"tags": [
"US",
"dated",
"figuratively",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English slang",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "That parameter setting is just a fiddle to make the lighting look right.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"Synonym of workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem."
],
"links": [
[
"Unskillful",
"unskillful"
],
[
"unartful",
"unartful"
],
[
"behavior",
"behavior"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"showy",
"showy"
],
[
"superficially",
"superficially"
],
[
"pleasing",
"pleasing"
],
[
"workaround",
"workaround#English"
],
[
"quick",
"quick"
],
[
"less than",
"less than"
],
[
"perfect",
"perfect"
],
[
"solution",
"solution"
],
[
"some",
"some"
],
[
"flaw",
"flaw"
],
[
"problem",
"problem"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figurative) Unskillful or unartful behavior, particularly when showy and superficially pleasing.",
"(slang) Synonym of workaround, a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "a quick and less than perfect solution for some flaw or problem",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "workaround"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"en:Nautical"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1962 September, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The Talgo trains of Spain”, in Modern Railways, page 188:",
"text": "The meal is served on special trays which slot into the arms of airline-type seats of the passenger coaches. The trays have fiddles for each of the plates, cups and glasses, and the crockery is so well-designed that it is seldom any of the contents get spilled.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water."
],
"links": [
[
"nautical",
"nautical"
],
[
"Any",
"any"
],
[
"rail",
"rail"
],
[
"device",
"device"
],
[
"prevent",
"prevent"
],
[
"item",
"item"
],
[
"sliding",
"sliding"
],
[
"table",
"table"
],
[
"stove",
"stove"
],
[
"rough",
"rough"
],
[
"water",
"water"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(especially nautical) Any rail or device that prevents items from sliding off a table, stove, etc. in rough water."
],
"tags": [
"especially"
],
"topics": [
"nautical",
"transport"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"British English",
"English slang",
"English terms with obsolete senses"
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of arrest warrant."
],
"links": [
[
"arrest warrant",
"arrest warrant#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) Synonym of arrest warrant."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "arrest warrant"
}
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"British English",
"English slang",
"English terms with obsolete senses"
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of watchman's rattle."
],
"links": [
[
"watchman's rattle",
"watchman's rattle#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) Synonym of watchman's rattle."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "watchman's rattle"
}
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"British English",
"English slang",
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Done at a fiddle.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"A trifling amount."
],
"links": [
[
"trifling",
"trifling"
],
[
"amount",
"amount"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(UK slang, obsolete) A trifling amount."
],
"tags": [
"UK",
"obsolete",
"slang"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Entries using missing taxonomic name (species)",
"en:Biology"
],
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument."
],
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"biology",
"biology"
],
[
"dock",
"dock"
],
[
"leaves",
"leaf"
],
[
"supposed",
"supposed"
],
[
"resemble",
"resemble"
],
[
"musical instrument",
"musical instrument"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"(biology) A dock (Rumex pulcher) with leaves supposed to resemble the musical instrument."
],
"topics": [
"biology",
"natural-sciences"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc."
],
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"long",
"long"
],
[
"pole",
"pole"
],
[
"pull",
"pull"
],
[
"draft animal",
"draft animal"
],
[
"drag",
"drag"
],
[
"loose",
"loose"
],
[
"straw",
"straw"
],
[
"hay",
"hay"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"A long pole pulled by a draft animal to drag loose straw, hay, etc."
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape",
"A rack for drying pottery after glazing."
],
"links": [
[
"Something",
"something"
],
[
"resembling",
"resembling"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"shape",
"shape"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"rack",
"rack"
],
[
"dry",
"dry"
],
[
"pottery",
"pottery"
],
[
"glazing",
"glazing"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"Something resembling a violin in shape, particularly:",
"A rack for drying pottery after glazing."
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "ca",
"lang": "Catalan",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "balancera"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"word": "reunalista"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"neuter"
],
"word": "Schiffsgeländer"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "nautical: device or rail for keeping items on a surface while at sea",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "parapetto"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English interjections",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl/2 syllables",
"Terms with Catalan translations",
"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Japanese translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Maori translations",
"Terms with Occitan translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"en:Buckwheat family plants",
"en:String instruments"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "fiddle about"
},
{
"word": "fiddle around"
},
{
"word": "fiddle away"
},
{
"word": "fiddlefart"
},
{
"word": "fiddlefuck"
},
{
"word": "fiddle the books"
},
{
"word": "fiddle while Rome burns"
},
{
"word": "fiddle with"
},
{
"word": "fiddler"
},
{
"word": "refiddle"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fiddles",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddling",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddled",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "fiddled",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle (third-person singular simple present fiddles, present participle fiddling, simple past and past participle fiddled)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English intransitive verbs",
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "to fiddle while Rome burns",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:",
"text": "Themistocles […] said he could not fiddle, but yet he could make a small town a great city.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style."
],
"links": [
[
"play",
"play"
],
[
"fiddle",
"#Noun"
],
[
"violin",
"violin"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"folk",
"folk music"
],
[
"country",
"country music"
],
[
"style",
"style"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(intransitive) To play the fiddle or violin, particularly in a folk or country style."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"English terms with usage examples",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Stop fiddling with your food. Either tell me what's wrong or just eat.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"ref": "1530, John Palsgrave, Lesclarcissement, page 549:",
"text": "Loke you fydell nat with your handes whan your maister speketh to you.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1663 July 23 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “July 13th, 1663”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume III, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1893, →OCLC:",
"text": "[…] talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers […]",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Eternal City”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 425:",
"text": "Yossarian went along in Milo Minderbinder's speeding M & M staff car to police headquarters to meet a swarthy, untidy police commissioner with a narrow black mustache and unbuttoned tunic who was fiddling with a stout woman with warts and two chins when they entered his office and who greeted Milo with warm surprise and bowed and scraped in obscene servility as though Milo were some elegant marquis.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness."
],
"links": [
[
"fidget",
"fidget"
],
[
"play",
"play"
],
[
"idly",
"idly"
],
[
"amuse",
"amuse"
],
[
"oneself",
"oneself"
],
[
"act",
"act"
],
[
"aimlessly",
"aimlessly"
],
[
"frivolously",
"frivolously"
],
[
"particularly",
"particularly"
],
[
"nervousness",
"nervousness"
],
[
"restlessness",
"restlessness"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(transitive) To fidget or play; to fuss; to idly amuse oneself, to act aimlessly, idly, or frivolously, particularly out of nervousness or restlessness."
],
"tags": [
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with usage examples",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Fred was sacked when the auditors caught him fiddling the books.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud."
],
"links": [
[
"cheat",
"cheat"
],
[
"swindle",
"swindle"
],
[
"fraud",
"fraud"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, transitive) To cheat or swindle; to commit fraud."
],
"tags": [
"informal",
"transitive"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English informal terms",
"English terms with usage examples",
"English transitive verbs"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Coordinate term: fettle"
},
{
"text": "I needed to fiddle with these settings to get the image to look right.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of tinker (“to make small adjustments or improvements”)."
],
"links": [
[
"tinker",
"tinker#English"
],
[
"make",
"make"
],
[
"small",
"small"
],
[
"adjustment",
"adjustment"
],
[
"improvement",
"improvement"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(informal, transitive) Synonym of tinker (“to make small adjustments or improvements”)."
],
"senseid": [
"en:sort out by tinkering"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "to make small adjustments or improvements",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "tinker"
}
],
"tags": [
"informal",
"transitive"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "šumařit"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "fiedelen"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"tags": [
"derogatory"
],
"word": "vinguttaa viulua"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "soittaa viulua"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "to play the violin in a folk or informal way",
"word": "hegedül"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "mōsuǒ, mōsuo",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "摸索"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "盤弄 /盘弄"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "pánnòng",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "盤弄 /盘弄"
},
{
"code": "cs",
"lang": "Czech",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "marnit"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "koheltaa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "haaskata"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "räplätä"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "bidouiller"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "tripoter"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "fummeln"
},
{
"alt": "いじりまわす",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "ijirimawasu",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "いじり回す"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "rāwekeweke"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "rahurahu"
},
{
"code": "mi",
"lang": "Maori",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "raukoti"
},
{
"code": "oc",
"lang": "Occitan",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "bidolhar"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"word": "vadiar"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "trátitʹ vrémja pópustu",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "тра́тить вре́мя по́пусту"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"english": "to toy, to trifle with something",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "terebítʹ",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "тереби́ть"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjatʹ",
"sense": "to play aimlessly",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "мять"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
{
"categories": [
"English countable nouns",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English interjections",
"English lemmas",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms derived from Old English",
"English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Old English",
"English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
"English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl",
"Rhymes:English/ɪdəl/2 syllables",
"Terms with Catalan translations",
"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Japanese translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Maori translations",
"Terms with Occitan translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"en:Buckwheat family plants",
"en:String instruments"
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "fithele"
},
"expansion": "Middle English fithele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "*fiþele"
},
"expansion": "Old English *fiþele",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*fiþulā"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gem-pro",
"3": "*fiþulǭ",
"t": "fiddle"
},
"expansion": "Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”)",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "LL.",
"2": "vitula"
},
"expansion": "Late Latin vitula",
"name": "m+"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "goh",
"2": "fidula"
},
"expansion": "Old High German fidula",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Fiedel"
},
"expansion": "German Fiedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "dum",
"2": "vedele"
},
"expansion": "Middle Dutch vedele",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "vedel"
},
"expansion": "Dutch vedel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "is",
"2": "fiðla"
},
"expansion": "Icelandic fiðla",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "fiddel"
},
"expansion": "Danish fiddel",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "no",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian fela",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fela"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fela",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English fithele, from Old English *fiþele, from Proto-West Germanic *fiþulā, from Proto-Germanic *fiþulǭ (“fiddle”), of uncertain etymology. Some contest that the Germanic terms are borrowed variations of Late Latin vitula (see viola); others contest that the word has a separate origin within Germanic languages, and still others believe that the Late Latin term for the stringed instrument is a borrowing from Germanic as a change of Latin t to Germanic þ is highly improbable, yet Germanic þ to Latin t is well documented (see troop, Teobaldo, etc.). Cognate with Old High German fidula (German Fiedel), Middle Dutch vedele (Dutch vedel, veel), Old Norse fiðla (Icelandic fiðla, Danish fiddel, Norwegian fela, Swedish fela).\nThe change from /ðl/ to /dl/ in modern English is regular; compare Bedlam, staddle, swaddle (in brothel, it was prevented; see that entry for discussion).",
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "fiddle",
"name": "en-interjection"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"fid‧dle"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "intj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with obsolete senses",
"English terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Oh, fiddle. I left my whip in the stable.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of fiddlesticks."
],
"links": [
[
"fiddlesticks",
"fiddlesticks#English"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(obsolete) Synonym of fiddlesticks."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "fiddlesticks"
}
],
"tags": [
"obsolete"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪd(ə)l/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"enpr": "fĭdʹl",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈfɪdl̩/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfɪɾl̩]",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "en-us-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg/En-us-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-us-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"audio": "en-au-fiddle.ogg",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg/En-au-fiddle.ogg.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/En-au-fiddle.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-ɪdəl"
}
],
"wikipedia": [
"fiddle"
],
"word": "fiddle"
}
Download raw JSONL data for fiddle meaning in All languages combined (32.9kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (f889f65 and 8fbd9e8). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.