Fiddling - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Fiddling means making small, unnecessary adjustments or wasting time with trivial tasks. It can also refer to playing a violin casually or skillfully. The term often implies minor, sometimes aimless activity.
Definition:
Engaging in trivial or unimportant activities, often to avoid serious work.
Synonyms:
dawdling, trifling, tinkering, pottering
Part of Speech:
adjective, noun
Antonyms:
focusing, working
Common Collocations:
fiddling with keys, fiddling around, stop fiddling
Derivatives:
fiddle, fiddled, fiddler
Usage Tips:
Use "fiddling" to describe minor, often aimless actions; avoid for serious tasks.
Common Phrases:
fiddling while Rome burns, stop fiddling around
Etymology:
Derived from "fiddle," meaning to play a violin or engage in trivial activity; of Germanic origin.
Examples:
- 1. She kept fiddling with her pen during the meeting.
- 2. Stop fiddling with the radio and focus on driving!
- 3. He spent the afternoon fiddling with his model train set.
- 4. Fiddling with small details won’t solve the bigger problem.