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fiddle with. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
fiddle with, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
fiddle with in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
fiddle with you have here. The definition of the word
fiddle with will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
fiddle with, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Verb
fiddle with (third-person singular simple present fiddles with, present participle fiddling with, simple past and past participle fiddled with)
- To manipulate or toy with (an object), especially in a nervous, restless or aimless manner.
Stop fiddling with your food!
- To tinker with: to make small adjustments or improvements to (something), especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.
If you fiddle with the controls, you might be able to get a better TV picture.
The deadline for my report is two o'clock, but I'm still fiddling with it.
2000, Paul Scherz, Practical electronics for inventors, page 452:Fiddle with vertical VOLT/DIV knob until signal comes into view.
2007, Sheryl J. Anderson, Killer Riff, page 49:As technology got better, he'd go back and fiddle with them, convinced he could clean them up enough for release.
- (figuratively) To manipulate in order to gain something for oneself.
2004, Jay P. DeCima, Start Small, Profit Big in Real Estate, page 65:Don't Fiddle With Sellers Who Have No Equity
- (slang, usually reflexive) To masturbate.
2006 May 9, Penn Jillette, Michael Goudeau, quoting Chris, 22:22 from the start, in Penn Radio:I was in the Woodley Park–Zoo in D.C. and mom and sister were waiting to see the pandas, so me and my pops broke away to check out the monkey house. Well, there was a beautiful teacher, I mean we're talking a ten, she was blond, had a low-cut dress on, just gorgeous. And she has about eight or nine students and she's pointing out all the different monkeys. And me and my dad noticed this huge orangutan kind of fiddling with himself. And on close [censored] And we kept checking it out and he was looking directly at the teacher. Well, a couple minutes passed by [censored] he proceeds to [censored] that's when the teacher noticed and, you know, took the kids away very hurriedly. But I looked at my dad and said, you know, they're so much like us.
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