fiddling

An old-fashioned adjective meaning trifling, trivial, or insignificant; often used to describe small, unimportant matters or actions.

• 🇫🇷Adjectif désuet signifiant insignifiant, sans importance ou trivial ; souvent utilisé pour décrire de petites affaires ou actions mineures, sans valeur ou délicates à manipuler.

1. Trivial or insignificant B2 informal

   Describes something that is small, unimportant, or of little consequence.

   • He spent the whole afternoon on fiddling details.
   • Don't worry about such fiddling matters.
   • The report was full of fiddling errors that didn't affect the main conclusion.

   🇫🇷insignifiant, négligeable

   Synonymes: inconsequentialinsignificantminornegligiblepettypiddlingtriflingtrivial

   Antonymes: considerableimportantmajorsignificantsubstantial

• more fiddling comparative form
• most fiddling superlative form

A verb used to indicate the act of making small, aimless movements or adjustments, often with one's hands, or to tinker with something in an unproductive way.

• 🇫🇷Verbe désignant le fait de faire de petits mouvements ou ajustements sans but précis, souvent avec les mains, ou de tripoter quelque chose sans grande concentration. Peut aussi signifier jouer du violon de manière peu experte ou bricoler un instrument.

1. Play the violin B1 informal

   To play the violin, especially in folk or informal music.

   • He fiddled a lively tune at the pub.
   • She loves to fiddle traditional Irish songs.
   • The musician fiddled all night at the festival.

   🇫🇷jouer du violon (populaire/folk)

2. Tinker or adjust B1 informal

   To touch or adjust something in a restless or aimless way.

   • Stop fiddling with the radio knobs.
   • He fiddled with his pen while thinking.
   • She fiddled with the settings on her phone.

   🇫🇷Tripoter, bricoler

   Synonymes: fidgetmessplaytinkertoytweak

3. Manipulate dishonestly B2 informal

   To alter or manipulate something in a dishonest way to gain an advantage.

   • The accountant was caught fiddling the books.
   • They fiddled the results to win the competition.
   • He was accused of fiddling his expenses.

   🇫🇷truquer

   Synonymes: cookdoctorfalsifyfixfudgemanipulaterigtamper

• fiddled past participle
• fiddled past simple
• fiddling present participle
• fiddles third person singular

Variantes phrasal: fiddle with