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fiddle
(redirected from fiddled while Rome burns)

   Also found in: Idioms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.23 sec.
fid·dle  (fdl)
n.
1.
a. A violin.
b. A member of the violin family.
2. Nautical A guardrail used on a table during rough weather to prevent things from slipping off.
3. Informal Nonsensical, trifling matters: "There are things that are important/beyond all this fiddle" Marianne Moore.
4. The act or an instance of cheating or swindling; a fraud.
v. fid·dled, fid·dling, fid·dles
v.intr.
1. To play a violin.
2.
a. To move one's fingers or hands in a nervous fashion.
b. To occupy oneself in an aimless or desultory way: liked to fiddle with all the knobs and dials.
c. To meddle or tamper: a reporter who fiddled with the facts.
3. To commit a fraud, especially to steal from one's employer.
v.tr.
1. To play (a tune) on a violin.
2. To cheat or swindle.
3. To alter or falsify (accounts, for example) for dishonest gain.
Phrasal Verb:
fiddle away
To waste or squander: fiddled away the morning with unnecessary tasks.

[Middle English fidle, from Old English fithele.]

fiddler n.

fiddle
Noun
1. Informal or disparaging the violin
2. a violin played as a folk instrument
3. Brit & NZ informal a dishonest action or scheme
4. on the fiddle Informal engaged in an illegal or fraudulent undertaking
5. fit as a fiddle Informal in very good health
6. play second fiddle Informal to undertake a role that is less important or powerful than someone else's
Verb
[-dling, -dled]
1. to play (a tune) on the fiddle
2. Informal to do (something) by illegal or dishonest means
3. Informal to falsify (accounts)
4. fiddle with to move or touch (something) restlessly or nervously
5. fiddle about or around Informal to waste time [Old English fithele]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.fiddlefiddle - bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow
Amati - a violin made by Nicolo Amati or a member of his family
bowed stringed instrument, string - stringed instruments that are played with a bow; "the strings played superlatively well"
chin rest - a rest on which a violinist can place the chin
fiddlestick, violin bow - a bow used in playing the violin
Guarnerius - a violin made by a member of the Guarneri family
Strad, Stradavarius - a violin made by Antonio Stradivari or a member of his family
Verb1.fiddle - avoid (one's assigned duties); "The derelict soldier shirked his duties"
avoid - refrain from doing something; "She refrains from calling her therapist too often"; "He should avoid publishing his wife's memories"
scrimshank - British military language: avoid work
malinger, skulk - avoid responsibilities and duties, e.g., by pretending to be ill
slack - avoid responsibilities and work, be idle
2.fiddle - commit fraud and steal from one's employer; "We found out that she had been fiddling for years"
defalcate, embezzle, malversate, misappropriate, peculate - appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use; "The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family"
3.fiddle - play the violin or fiddle
music - musical activity (singing or whistling etc.); "his music was his central interest"
fiddle - play on a violin; "Zuckerman fiddled that song very nicely"
play - perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
4.fiddle - play on a violin; "Zuckerman fiddled that song very nicely"
music - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
spiel, play - replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully"
fiddle - play the violin or fiddle
5.fiddlefiddle - manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"
manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move it
put out, retire - cause to be out on a fielding play
6.fiddlefiddle - play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly; "Someone tampered with the documents on my desk"; "The reporter fiddle with the facts"
manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move it
7.fiddle - try to fix or mend; "Can you tinker with the T.V. set--it's not working right"; "She always fiddles with her van on the weekend"
fix, furbish up, mend, repair, bushel, doctor, touch on, restore - restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken; "She repaired her TV set"; "Repair my shoes please"

fiddle
noun 1. Brit. (informal) fraud, racket, scam (slang) piece of sharp practice, fix, sting (informal) graft (informal) swindle, wangle (informal)
noun 2. (Informal) violin,
verb 3. (Informal) (often with with) fidget, play, finger, toy, tamper, trifle, mess about or around
verb 4. (Informal) (often with with) tinker, adjust, interfere, mess about or around
verb 5. (Informal) cheat, cook (informal) fix, manoeuvre (informal) graft (informal) diddle (informal) wangle (informal) gerrymander, finagle (informal)
Translations

fiddle [ˈfɪdl] n (MUS) → violín m (= cheating); trampa
vt (BRIT) [+ accounts]; falsificar;
tax fiddle → evasión f fiscal;
to work a fiddle → hacer trampa
fiddle with vt fusjuguetear con
fiddle [ˈfɪdl] n (Mus) → violon m (= cheating); combine f; escroquerie f
vt (Brit) [+ accounts]; falsifier, maquiller;
tax fiddle → fraude fiscale, combine f pour échapper au fisc;
to work a fiddle → traficoter
fiddle with vt fustripoter
fiddle [ˈfɪdl] nFiedel f (inf)Geige f;
(fraud, swindle) → Schwindelei f
vt (Brit) (accounts) → frisieren (inf);
tax fiddle → Steuermanipulation f;
to work a fiddle → ein krummes Ding drehen (inf)
fiddle with fiddle vt fusherumspielen mit
fiddle [ˈfɪdl] n (MUS) → violino (= cheating); imbroglio; truffa
vt (BRIT) [+ accounts]; falsificare, falsare;
tax fiddle → frode f fiscale;
to work a fiddle → fare un imbroglio
fiddle with vt fusgingillarsi con

fiddle
n fiddle [ˈfidl]
1 a violin She played the fiddle.vioolكَمان، رَبابَهцигулкаhousleviolindie Geigeβιολίviolínviiulویولنviuluviolonכִּינוֹרबेलाviolinahegedűbiolafiðlaviolinoバイオリン바이올린smuikasvijolebiolavioolfele, fiolinskrzypceviolinovioarăскрипкаhuslegosliviolinafiolเครื่องดนตรีตระกูลซอหรือไวโอลินkeman小提琴скрипкаوائلنđàn viôlông
2 a dishonest business arrangement He's working a fiddle over his taxes.knoeieryتَحايُل، غِشизмамаpodfuksvindel; fupnummerdie Unterschlagungκομπίναestafa, trampasobiحقهpetkutuscombineהוֹנָאָהvarka, prevara,”mućka”csaláskecurangansvindlimbroglio, truffaごまかし속임수sukčiavimas, klastojimasblēdība; krāpšanapenipuanknoeierijsvindel, fuskkombinacjaaldrabiceescrocherieмошенничествоpodfukgoljufijaprevarafiffel, fuskหลอกลวงsahtekârlık, yolsuzluk欺騙行為шахрайствоدھوکادہی کی وارداتngón lừa bịp; sự gian lận
v
1 to play a violin He fiddled while they danced.viool speel (gespeel)يَعْزِف على الكَمانсвиря на цигулкаhrát na houslespille violingeigenπαίζω βιολίtocar el violínviiulit mängimaویولن زدنsoittaa viuluajouer du violonלְנָגֵן בְּכִינוֹרबेला बजानाsvirati violinu, guditihegedülmain biolaleika á fiðlusuonare il violinoバイオリンをひく바이올린을 켜다smuikuotispēlēt vijolimain biolafiedelenspille felegrać na skrzypcachtocar violinoa cânta la vioarăиграть на скрипкеhrať na husliachgosti (na gosli)svirati violinuspela fiolสีไวโอลินkeman çalmak拉提琴грати на скрипціوائلن بجاناchơi viôlông
2 (with with) to make restless, aimless movements Stop fiddling with your pencil!vroetelيَعْبَثُ بِвъртя си в ръцетеhrát si (s)legeherumspielenπαίζω, κουνιέμαι νευρικάjuguetearnäperdamaور رفتنhypistellätripoterלְשָׂחֵק ב-विलम्ब करनाigrati se sa, prčkati pobabrálbermain-mainfitla, fiktagingillarsiもてあそぶ(손가락으로 ...을) 만지작거리다žaistiniekoties; blēņotiesbermain-mainfriemelenfingre med, leke med, plukke bawić się (bezmyślnie)brincara se juca cuтеребитьhrať saigračkati seigrati sefingra på, leka medเคลื่อนไหวบางอย่างไปมาอย่างไร้จุดมุ่งหมายoynayıp durmak(胡亂)擺弄вертіти в рукахبے وجہ چھیڑ چھاڑ کرناchơi đùa không cẩn thận cái gì trong tay
3 to manage (money, accounts etc) dishonestly She has been fiddling the accounts for years.geknoeiيَتَلاعَب في الحِساباتфалшифицирамšvindlovatfuske; svindleunterschlagenκάνω κομπίνα, μαγειρεύω (μτφ.)falsificar, amañar, manipular(arveid) võltsimaدستکاری کردنväärentäätraficoterלְזַייֵףकपटपूर्ण खाता तैयार करनाkrivo iskazati, namještati, “mućkati”meghamisít, manipulál (vmivel)mengkorupdraga sér fétruffare; falsificareごまかす속이다, 조작하다sukčiauti, klastotiblēdīties; krāptiesmemalsukanknoeienfuske/sjonglere/manipulere medkombinowaćaldrabara face mişculaţii (cu)подделыватьšvindľovaťponeverjatimućkatififfla, fuskaจัดการเงินอย่างทุจริตüzerinde oynamak, para sızdırmak弄虛作假шахраюватиدھوکا دہی کرناgian lận
n ˈfiddler
vioolspelerعازِف الكَمانцигуларhouslista; podfukářspillemand; violinspiller; svindler; fidusmagerder/die Geiger(in)βιολιστής, κομπιναδόροςviolinistaviiuldaja, petisویولن زنviulunsoittaja, huijarivioloneux/-euseכַּנָרसारंगी बजाने वालाviolinist, guslachegedűs; felhajtó; csalópemain biolafiðlari; fitlari; svindlariviolinistaバイオリンひき바이올리니스트smuikininkasvijolnieks; blēdis; krāpniekspemain biolavioolspeler, knoeierfelespiller, spillemannskrzypekviolinistavioristскрипач; мошенникmuzikantgoslačviolinistafiolspelare, speleman, fifflareนักสีไวโอลิน; นักสีซอkemancı拉小提琴的人скрипальدھوکے بازngười chơi đàn viôlông
fiddler crab
a small crab, the male of which has an enlarged claw. vioolspelerkrapسرطان صَغيرракkrab bojovnývinkekrabbedie Winkerkrabbeείδος καβουριούcangrejo, jaibasignaalkrabiخرچنگ کاوندهviittoilijarapucrabe appelantסוּג סַרטָןvrsta rakaintőrákketamveifukrabbigranchio violinistaしおまねき농게, 꽃발게krabasvēzisketam rebabwenkkrabvinkekrabbe!!odmiana krabacaranguejocrabманящий крабkrab bojovnýrakovicakrabavinkarkrabbaปูชนิดหนึ่งมีขนาดเล็ก ตัวผู้จะมีก้ามหนึ่งใหญ่กว่าอีกข้างหนึ่งiri kıskaçlı yengeç招潮(蟹)невеликий крабایک قسم کا کیکڑا جس کے نر کے پنجے بڑے ہوتے ہیںcon cáy
on the fiddle
dishonest He's always on the fiddle.met iets lolغَير شَريف، كاذِبнечестенnepoctivýuærligunehrlichανειλικρινής, ανέντιμοςhacer trampaspetmise peal väljasدوز و کلک زدنepärehellinenmalhonnéteעוֹסֶק בְּהוֹנָאָהvarati, biti nepoštennem becsületestidak jujurvera óheiðarlegurdisonestoいんちきをして남을 속이는sukčiusnegodīgstidak jujuraan het knoeienuærlignieuczciwydesonesto/na vigaricenecinstitмошенническийnečestnýnepoštennepošteno sticati novacha ngt fuffens för sigไม่ซื่อสัตย์hilebaz不誠實нечеснийفریبیkhông thành thực

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