fiddles
Tampers with aimlessly
Fiddles are violins, especially in folk, country, or traditional music contexts.
The instrument is identical—the word choice signals genre and style.
To fiddle is to play one, or more broadly, to tinker or make small adjustments: She fiddled with the radio dial.
To fiddle around is to waste time on trivial activities.
Fit as a fiddle means in excellent health.
To play second fiddle is to take a subordinate role.
Bowed string instrument
- bowRespectful forward inclination
- stringsThin flexible lines
- rosinSolidified conifer sap
- folk musicCommunity-born acoustic songs
jig · reel · bluegrass · Celtic · Cajun · hoedown · square dance · bridge
Alters for improvement
- tweaksMinor modifications
- tinkersMeddles amateurishly with mechanisms
- meddlesInterferes in others' affairs
- tampersInterferes harmfully
fusses · plays with · dabbles · fidgets · manipulates · messes with · toys with · putters
violin
Bowed string instrument
folk music · jig · reel · bluegrass · Celtic · Cajun · hoedown · square dance · bridge · tuning pegs
adjusts
Alters for improvement
- tweaksMinor modifications
- tinkersMeddles amateurishly with mechanisms
- meddlesInterferes in others' affairs
tampers · fusses · plays with · dabbles · fidgets · manipulates · messes with · toys with · putters · handles
cheats
Deceives for advantage
- swindlesDeceptive theft schemes
- falsifiesAlters to deceive
- cooks the booksFraudulently alters financial records
manipulates · deceives · embezzles · scams · rigs · fixes · doctors · fudges · alters · defrauds
- Celtic CultureCelts, Celtic cross, Celtic knots, Celtic knot, Celtic music
- instrumentsguitar, guitars, piano, pianos, drum
- rural SouthBaptist church, dirt roads, gravel roads, backroads, country roads
- Cajun LouisianaAcadiana, Cajun, bayou, crawfish, Cajun culture
- luthieryluthier, luthiers, violin making, violin maker, bow making
- Balkan folklorefolk beliefs, folk customs, superstitions, magical creatures, vampires
fiddlessits still
Remains seated without movement
relaxes · rests · freezes · holds steady · settles
fiddlesworks
Functions or labors
focuses · concentrates · labors · produces · accomplishes
fiddlesleaves alone
Refrains from disturbing
ignores · hands off · abstains · refrains · disregards
- fiddle withAdjust idly or nervously
- fiddling aroundIdle, unfocused activity
- fit as a fiddleIn excellent physical condition
- second fiddleSubordinate position or role
- play second fiddleOccupy secondary rank
- fiddled aroundSpent time unproductively
fiddle, fiddling, fiddled, fiddler, fiddlers, fiddly, fiddlesticks, fiddle with