twiddle (redirected from twiddly)

twid·dle  (twdl)

v. twid·dled, twid·dling, twid·dles

v.tr.

To turn over or around idly or lightly; fiddle with: "Couples are twiddling swizzle sticks while waiting for their tables" (Bryan Miller).

v.intr.

1. To trifle with something.

2. To be busy about trifles.

3. To twirl or rotate without purpose.

n.

The act or an instance of twiddling.

Idiom:

twiddle (one's) thumbs

To do little or nothing; be idle.

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[Possibly blend of twist and fiddle.]

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twiddler n.

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twiddle [ˈtwɪd^əl]

vb

1. (when intr, often foll by with) to twirl or fiddle (with), often in an idle way

2. to do nothing; be unoccupied

3. (intr) to turn, twirl, or rotate

4. (intr) Rare to be occupied with trifles

n

an act or instance of twiddling

[probably a blend of twirl + fiddle]

twiddler  n

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	twiddle - a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns turn, twist - turning or twisting around (in place); "with a quick twist of his head he surveyed the room"
Verb	1.	twiddle - turn in a twisting or spinning motion; "The leaves swirled in the autumn wind" swirl, twirl, whirl revolve, rotate, go around - turn on or around an axis or a center; "The Earth revolves around the Sun"; "The lamb roast rotates on a spit over the fire"
	2.	twiddle - manipulate, as in a nervous or unconscious manner; "He twiddled his thumbs while waiting for the interview" fiddle with manipulate - hold something in one's hands and move it

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twiddle

verb fiddle with, adjust, finger, play with, juggle, wiggle (informal), twirl, jiggle, monkey with (informal) He twiddled a knob on the dashboard.

Translations

twiddle [ˈtwɪdl]

A. N → vuelta f (ligera)
to give a knob a twiddle → girar un botón

B. VT → dar vueltas a
to twiddle one's thumbs → estar de brazos cruzados, estar mano sobre mano

C. VI → dar vueltas
to twiddle with sth → jugar con algo(entre los dedos)

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twiddle [ˈtwɪd^əl]

vt [+ knob, ring, hair] → tripoter
to twiddle one's thumbs (fig) → se tourner les pouces

twiddle with

vt [+ knob, ring, hair] → tripoter

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twiddle

vt → herumdrehen an (+dat); she twiddled the pencil in her fingers → ihre Finger spielten mit dem Bleistift; to twiddle one’s thumbs (lit, fig) → Däumchen drehen

vi to twiddle with a knob → an einem Knopf herumdrehen

n he gave the knob a twiddle → er drehte den Knopf herum

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twiddle [ˈtwɪdl] vt & vi to twiddle (with) sth → giocherellare con qc
to twiddle one's thumbs (fig) → girarsi i pollici

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twiddle

v twiddle [ˈtwidl]

to twist (something) round and round He twiddled the knob on the radio. draai, ronddraai يَعْبَث بأصابِعِه въртя otáčet dreje herumdrehen στριφογυρνώ (hacer) girar keerutama چرخیدن یا چرخاندن pyöritellä tripoter לְסוֹבֵב סְתָם फिराना, से खेलना okretati, vrtjeti ujjával forgat memutar-mutar (snar)snúa girare いじり回す (~을) 돌리다 sukinėti griezt; grozīt memain-mainkan zitten te draaien snu og vende på; tvinne (tommeltotter) kręcić w kółko girar a învârti крутить točiť vrteti prevrtati snurra på หมุนกลับไปกลับมา döndürmek, döndürüp durmak 旋弄 вертіти, крутити گھمانا xoay 旋弄