fiddle with

fiddle with
verb
manipulate, as in a nervous or unconscious manner
-

He twiddled his thumbs while waiting for the interview

Syn: ↑twiddle
Derivationally related forms: ↑twiddler (for: ↑twiddle)
Hypernyms: ↑manipulate
Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

* * *

fiddle with [phrasal verb]
fiddle with (something)
1 : to move or handle (something) with your hands or fingers in a nervous way

She was nervously fiddling with her pen as she waited for the test to start.

2 : to change or handle (something, such as the controls of a machine) in a way that shows you are not sure what to do

He was fiddling [=tinkering] with the controls of the television, trying to get it to work.

3 : to change (something) in a harmful or foolish way

It became clear that someone had fiddled [=tampered] with the equipment.

• • •
Main Entry:fiddle

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fiddle with — (something) 1. to be busy with something without a special purpose. Don t fiddle with the remote control you ll break it! 2. to try to fix or use something complicated. The report says that computer users spend about one third of their time… …   New idioms dictionary

  • fiddle with — verb a) To manipulate an object, especially in a nervous or restless manner. Fiddle with vertical VOLT/DIV knob until signal comes into view. b) To adjust the position, as of an electronic device …   Wiktionary

  • fiddle with — {v. phr.} To carelessly play with something. * /If Jimmy continues to fiddle with our computer, he is liable to ruin it./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fiddle with — {v. phr.} To carelessly play with something. * /If Jimmy continues to fiddle with our computer, he is liable to ruin it./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fiddle with — phr verb Fiddle with is used with these nouns as the object: ↑knob …   Collocations dictionary

  • fiddle\ with — v. phr. To carelessly play with something. If Jimmy continues to fiddle with our computer, he is liable to ruin it …   Словарь американских идиом

  • fiddle with something — fiddle with (something) 1. to be busy with something without a special purpose. Don t fiddle with the remote control you ll break it! 2. to try to fix or use something complicated. The report says that computer users spend about one third of… …   New idioms dictionary

  • fiddle with — (Roget s IV) v. Syn. tinker with, play with, twiddle; see adjust 3 , dabble , tinker …   English dictionary for students

  • fiddle (with) — v Try to do something to. Who s been fiddling with the TV? The picture is all red. 1660s …   Historical dictionary of American slang

  • fiddle (with) — v Try to do something to. Who s been fiddling with the TV? The picture is all red. 1660s …   Historical dictionary of American slang

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