twiddle

twiddle
twid|dle [ˈtwıdl] v [I and T]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Probably copying the action]
1.) twiddle your thumbs informal
to do nothing while you are waiting for something to happen
Let's go - there's no point in sitting here twiddling our thumbs.
2.) to move or turn something around with your fingers many times, especially because you are nervous or bored
twiddle with
She was twiddling with her earrings.
>twiddle n

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Twiddle — Twid dle, v. t. [Probably of imitative origin. Cf. {Tweedle}.] To touch lightly, or play with; to tweedle; to twirl; as, to twiddle one s thumbs; to twiddle a watch key. [Written also twidle.] Thackeray. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • twiddle — ► VERB ▪ play or fiddle with (something) in a purposeless or nervous way. ► NOUN 1) an act of twiddling. 2) a rapid or intricate series of musical notes. ● twiddle one s thumbs Cf. ↑twiddle one s thumbs …   English terms dictionary

  • twiddle — (v.) 1540s, to trifle, of unknown origin; of the fingers, first recorded 1670s. Figurative phrase twiddle one s thumbs have nothing to do is recorded from 1846; to twirl one s thumbs in the same sense is recorded from 1816. Related: Twiddled;… …   Etymology dictionary

  • twiddle — [twid′ l] vt. twiddled, twiddling [prob. < TW(IST) or TW(IRL) + (D)IDDLE] to twirl or play with lightly or idly vi. 1. to toy or trifle with some object 2. to be busy about trifles 3 …   English World dictionary

  • Twiddle — Twid dle, v. i. To play with anything; hence, to be busy about trifles. Halliwell. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Twiddle — Twid dle, n. 1. A slight twist with the fingers. [1913 Webster] 2. A pimple. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • twiddle — UK [ˈtwɪd(ə)l] / US verb Word forms twiddle : present tense I/you/we/they twiddle he/she/it twiddles present participle twiddling past tense twiddled past participle twiddled 1) [intransitive/transitive] to twist or turn something in a bored or… …   English dictionary

  • Twiddle — To twiddle means to touch lightly or play with. In computing, it refers to: * Making small or insignificant changes to source code, often without much understanding * Bit twiddling , or bit manipulation, algorithmically manipulating bits * The… …   Wikipedia

  • twiddle — 1 verb (T) 1 also twiddle with to move or turn something around with your fingers many times, especially because you are bored 2 twiddle your thumbs informal a) to do nothing while you are waiting for something to happen b) to join your fingers… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • twiddle — twid|dle [ twıdl ] verb 1. ) transitive to turn a switch on a piece of equipment or a machine: He twiddled the radio dial until he found a news program. 2. ) intransitive or transitive to twist or turn something in a bored or nervous way: She… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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