fiddle
gb/fˈɪdəl/ us/fˈɪdəl/
B1
Inglês
~ 9600
hegedű, babrál, piszkál, bütyköl, állítgat, meghamisít, trükközik, kisebb csalás, stikli, macera, hegedül, szöszmötöl, vacakol, leesésgátló perem, peremléc
NOME
B1
INFORMAL
1
hegedű
A2
Padrão de uso:
play (the) fiddle
She grew up in Ireland and learned to play the fiddle from her grandfather.
Írországban nőtt fel, és a nagyapjától tanult meg hegedülni.
The band features guitar, banjo, and fiddle on most tracks.
A zenekar legtöbb számában gitár, bendzsó és hegedű is szerepel.
He walked onto the stage with his fiddle tucked under his arm.
A lonely fiddle played softly in the background of the scene.
Exemplos para aprendentes
My uncle plays the fiddle in a folk band.
A nagybátyám egy népzenei zenekarban hegedül.
I want to learn the fiddle when I am older.
Szeretnék megtanulni hegedülni, ha nagyobb leszek.
The music has a fast fiddle and a strong beat.
She carries her fiddle to music lessons every week.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use 'fiddle' in formal writing when 'violin' is more appropriate. Use 'violin' in neutral or formal contexts, and 'fiddle' mainly in informal or folk-music contexts.
Significado
Informal word for a violin
Colocações
play the fiddle
|fiddle player
|fiddle tune
|fiddle music
|old fiddle
Sinónimos
violin (The standard, more formal word; used especially in classical music contexts.)
Temas
music
|arts
|arts_entertainment
Definição
A violin, especially in folk or country music.
An informal term for a violin, especially when used in folk, country, or traditional music.
VERBO
B1
2
Padrão de uso:
to fiddle with [something]
He sat there fiddling with his keys while he waited for the interview to start.
Ott ült, és a kulcsaival babrált, miközben arra várt, hogy elkezdődjön az állásinterjú.
Stop fiddling with your phone and listen to me.
Ne piszkáld már a telefonodat, és figyelj rám.
She nervously fiddled with her wedding ring during the meeting.
The child kept fiddling with the zipper on his jacket.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Please do not fiddle with the door handle.
Kérlek, ne babrálj az ajtókilinccsel.
She fiddled with her hair when she talked.
Beszéd közben a haját piszkálta.
He always fiddles with a pen in class.
I fiddle with my phone when I am bored.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with 'fiddle with' meaning 'to adjust or change something'. Here the focus is on nervous or bored movement, not on trying to fix or improve something.
Significado
Move something nervously with fingers
Colocações
fiddle with your hair
|fiddle with a pen
|fiddle with your phone
|fiddle with your keys
Sinónimos
fidget (Focuses more on general restless body movement, not always involving an object.)
|
play with (More general and neutral; does not always imply nervousness.)
Antónimos
keep still (Means not moving at all, especially not in a restless way.)
Temas
daily life
|body
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definição
To keep moving or touching something small with your fingers because you are bored or nervous.
To keep touching or moving something small with your fingers in a restless or absent-minded way, usually because you are bored, nervous, or not paying attention.
VERBO
B2
3
Padrão de uso:
to fiddle with [device/settings/idea]
I spent the afternoon fiddling with the router, trying to get the Wi‑Fi to work.
Az egész délutánt azzal töltöttem, hogy a routert bütyköltem, hátha sikerül működésre bírni a wifit.
She keeps fiddling with the layout of the website but never actually finishes it.
Folyton a weboldal elrendezését állítgatja, de soha nem fejezi be igazán.
He fiddled with the camera settings until the picture looked right.
The engineers are still fiddling with the design before the final release.
Exemplos para aprendentes
He likes to fiddle with old radios in his free time.
Szabadidejében szeret régi rádiókat bütykölni.
She fiddled with the volume until the music was not too loud.
Addig állítgatta a hangerőt, amíg a zene már nem volt túl hangos.
I have to fiddle with the app settings to make it work.
They fiddled with the plan many times before the meeting.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes think 'fiddle with' always means 'to play' or 'to waste time', but in this sense it can be a normal, useful activity of adjusting something, especially machines or settings.
Significado
Make small, often aimless adjustments
Colocações
fiddle with the settings
|fiddle with the controls
|fiddle with the design
|fiddle with the code
Sinónimos
tinker (Suggests informal experimenting, often with machines or technical things.)
|
adjust (More neutral and purposeful; does not imply uncertainty or aimlessness.)
Antónimos
leave alone (To not change or touch something at all.)
Temas
technology
|work
|daily life
Definição
To change something again and again in small ways, often just to try it or make it a little better.
To make repeated small and often uncertain changes to something, such as equipment, settings, or a piece of work, usually to try to improve it or see how it works.
C1
INFORMAL
4
meghamisít
B2
trükközik
B2
Padrão de uso:
to fiddle [the books/expenses/taxes]
The manager was fired after it was discovered he had been fiddling the books for years.
A vezetőt elbocsátották, miután kiderült, hogy évek óta hamisította a könyvelést.
They were accused of fiddling their expenses to claim money they were not entitled to.
Azzal vádolták őket, hogy meghamisították a költségelszámolásaikat, hogy jogtalanul pénzhez jussanak.
A journalist revealed that the company had fiddled its sales figures to impress investors.
He went to prison for fiddling the tax returns of several clients.
Exemplos para aprendentes
The boss went to jail because he fiddled the company accounts.
A főnök börtönbe került, mert meghamisította a cég könyvelését.
She lost her job after she fiddled her travel expenses.
Elvesztette az állását, miután meghamisította az utazási költségelszámolását.
The firm was in trouble because someone had fiddled the numbers.
He refused to fiddle the books, even when his boss asked him.
Erro comum:
Learners may confuse this with the neutral or playful senses of 'fiddle'. In this sense it always involves dishonesty, usually with money or official numbers.
Significado
Dishonestly alter accounts or records
Colocações
fiddle the books
|fiddle his expenses
|fiddle their taxes
|fiddle the figures
Sinónimos
cheat (Very general; does not specifically refer to changing records or numbers.)
|
falsify (More formal; used especially for official records or documents.)
Antónimos
keep honest accounts (Emphasizes recording money and numbers truthfully.)
Temas
money
|crime
|work
|finance
|law
|business
Definição
To change numbers or papers in a secret and wrong way to get money or another benefit.
To illegally or dishonestly change financial records, documents, or numbers in order to get money or an unfair advantage.
NOME
C1
INFORMAL
5
stikli
B2
Padrão de uso:
a [tax/expenses] fiddle
It turned out to be a simple expenses fiddle that had gone on for years.
Kiderült, hogy csak egy egyszerű költségelszámolási csalásról volt szó, amely évekig folyt.
The tax authorities are cracking down on small cash‑in‑hand fiddles.
Az adóhatóságok keményebben fellépnek a kisebb, készpénzes stiklik ellen.
He was clearly on the fiddle, but nobody wanted to challenge him.
The scheme was exposed as a massive pension fiddle affecting thousands of people.
Exemplos para aprendentes
The police found a small tax fiddle at the company.
A rendőrség kisebb adócsalást tárt fel a cégnél.
She was on the fiddle and took money from the shop.
Csalt, és pénzt vett el a boltból.
They ran a little fiddle with travel tickets.
The manager lost his job because of an expenses fiddle.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes think 'fiddle' here means 'problem' or 'difficult job'. In this sense it clearly means a dishonest money scheme.
Significado
Small fraud or cheating scheme
Colocações
on the fiddle
|tax fiddle
|expenses fiddle
|a bit of a fiddle
Sinónimos
racket (Informal; often suggests an organized or repeated scam.)
Antónimos
honest deal (Emphasizes that something is done in a fair and legal way.)
Temas
money
|crime
|work
|finance
|law
|business
Definição
A small, secret way of getting money or benefits that is not honest or legal.
A small-scale dishonest scheme, especially one involving money or expenses, used to get extra money or benefits.
NOME
B2
INFORMAL
6
macera
B2
Padrão de uso:
a [real/bit of a] fiddle
Changing the cartridge on this printer is a bit of a fiddle.
A patroncsere ezen a nyomtatón egy kis macera.
What a fiddle just to open a bank account online.
Micsoda macera, csak hogy online bankszámlát nyissunk.
Filling in all those forms was such a fiddle that I nearly gave up.
Getting the cables through that tiny hole was a real fiddle.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Building this shelf is a real fiddle.
Ennek a polcnak az összeszerelése igazi macera.
It is a fiddle to change the ink in this printer.
Macera kicserélni a tintát ebben a nyomtatóban.
Booking the ticket online was a bit of a fiddle.
Cooking this dish is a fiddle because there are many small steps.
Erro comum:
Learners may confuse this with the musical meaning of 'fiddle'. In this sense, 'a fiddle' does not mean a violin; it means a job that is too complicated or fussy.
Significado
Annoyingly fiddly or fussy task
Colocações
a real fiddle
|a bit of a fiddle
|what a fiddle
|all that fiddle
Sinónimos
hassle (Emphasizes trouble and inconvenience, not always small detailed work.)
|
faff (BrE informal; stresses wasted time and confusion.)
Antónimos
simple task (Something easy and quick to do, without extra effort.)
Temas
daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definição
A job that is too slow and difficult because it needs many small actions and takes a lot of time.
A task, process, or situation that is unnecessarily complicated or requires a lot of small, fussy effort.
VERBO
B2
INFORMAL
7
hegedül
A2
Padrão de uso:
to fiddle [a tune/song]
He has been fiddling in bluegrass bands since he was a teenager.
Tinédzserkora óta hegedül bluegrass zenekarokban.
A musician fiddled a lively tune as people danced.
Egy zenész vidám dallamot hegedült, miközben az emberek táncoltak.
She loves to fiddle at local folk festivals on weekends.
They played guitar and sang while their friend fiddled softly in the background.
Exemplos para aprendentes
Her grandfather taught her to fiddle when she was young.
Fiatal korában a nagyapja tanította meg hegedülni.
He fiddles in a small country band.
Egy kis countryzenekarban hegedül.
A man was fiddling in the corner of the bar.
She likes to fiddle with her friends at parties.
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse this with 'fiddle with' meaning 'to touch something'. When 'fiddle' takes a direct object like 'a tune' and the context is music, it means 'to play the violin/fiddle'.
Significado
Play the violin/fiddle
Colocações
fiddle a tune
|fiddling in a band
|fiddle at a festival
Sinónimos
play the violin (More neutral and common; does not carry the folk-music feeling that 'fiddle' can have.)
Temas
music
|arts
|arts_entertainment
Definição
To play music on a violin or fiddle.
To play a violin or fiddle, especially in folk or traditional styles.
VERBO
B2
INFORMAL
8
szöszmötöl
C1
vacakol
B2
Padrão de uso:
to fiddle around/about
I spent the whole afternoon just fiddling around on my laptop instead of doing my work.
Az egész délutánt csak azzal töltöttem, hogy a laptopomon szöszmötöltem, ahelyett hogy dolgoztam volna.
Stop fiddling about and help me with these boxes.
Hagyd abba a vacakolást, és segíts ezekkel a dobozokkal.
He likes to fiddle around in the shed, fixing little things.
We fiddled about for an hour before we finally left the house.
Exemplos para aprendentes
He just fiddled around all morning and did not study.
Egész délelőtt csak szöszmötölt, és nem tanult.
Stop fiddling about and start your homework.
Hagyd abba a vacakolást, és kezdj neki a házi feladatodnak.
She likes to fiddle around in the kitchen on Sundays.
They fiddled about on their phones while they waited.
Erro comum:
Learners may translate this too literally and miss the idea of wasting time. In this sense 'fiddle around' or 'fiddle about' usually suggests that nothing important is being done.
Significado
Waste time on unimportant things
Colocações
fiddle around all day
|fiddle about in the garage
|fiddle around on your phone
Sinónimos
mess around (Very similar; often used when someone is not taking things seriously.)
|
potter (BrE; suggests gentle, relaxed activity, not always negative.)
Antónimos
get on with it (Informal phrase meaning to stop wasting time and start doing the real task.)
Temas
daily life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definição
To waste time doing little things that are not important.
To spend time doing small, unimportant things in an aimless way, especially when you should be doing something more serious or useful.
NOME
C1
TECHNICAL
9
peremléc
C1
Padrão de uso:
fiddles on [a table/shelf]
The mess room tables were fitted with fiddles to keep plates from sliding in rough seas.
A hajó étkezőasztalaira leesésgátló peremeket szereltek, hogy erős hullámzásban ne csússzanak le a tányérok.
Make sure the fiddles are secure before we set sail.
Indulás előtt ellenőrizd, hogy a leesésgátló peremek biztonságosan rögzítve vannak-e.
The carpenter added fiddles to the galley shelves so the jars would stay in place.
Without fiddles, everything on the table would end up on the floor in heavy weather.
Exemplos para aprendentes
There are fiddles on the ship's tables to stop dishes from falling.
A hajó asztalain leesésgátló peremek vannak, hogy az edények ne essenek le.
The shelf had small fiddles along the edge.
A polc szélén kis peremlécek futottak végig.
They added fiddles so cups would not slide off.
On a boat, fiddles help keep things in place.
Erro comum:
Learners may think this is connected to music. In nautical or technical contexts, 'fiddles' refers to raised edges on surfaces, not instruments.
Significado
Raised edge to stop items sliding
Colocações
table fiddles
|fiddles on the galley table
|shelf fiddles
Sinónimos
guard rail (General term; not specific to tables or ships.)
Temas
transport
|technology
|travel
|transportation
Definição
A small raised bar on the edge of a table or shelf that stops things from falling off, especially on a ship.
A raised strip or rail fixed to the edge of a table, shelf, or similar surface, especially on a ship, to prevent objects from sliding off when the surface tilts or moves.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
fiddle
IPA
GB/fˈɪdəl/
US/fˈɪdəl/
Sílabas e acento
fiddle (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (fiddle)
Formas da palavra
Noun
- Base: fiddle
- Plural: fiddles
Verb
- Base: fiddle
- 3rd Person Singular: fiddles
- Present Participle: fiddling
- Past: fiddled
Família de palavras
Expressões
fiddle about
1/fˈɪdəl əbˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
BrE: spend time on unimportant things
BrE: To waste time doing many small things that are not important.
Exemplos
- I fiddled about in the kitchen until dinner time.
- We fiddled about for half an hour before we finally left the house.
fiddle around
1/fˈɪdəl ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
informal
Waste time doing little things
To spend time doing small, unimportant things instead of real work.
Exemplos
- We just fiddled around all afternoon and never got anything done.
- Stop fiddling around and clean your room.
- He likes to fiddle around in the garage on weekends.
fiddle around with
1/fˈɪdəl ɚˈaʊnd wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
Experiment by making small changes
To make many small changes to something to see how it works or to try to make it better.
Exemplos
- I spent the evening fiddling around with the new software.
- She likes to fiddle around with old radios and fix them.
- They are fiddling around with the design before the final version is printed.
fiddle away
1/fˈɪdəl əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
informal
Waste time or money
To waste time or money on things that are not important.
Exemplos
- He fiddled away the whole afternoon instead of studying.
- They fiddled away most of their savings on gambling and parties.
- She fiddled away the time scrolling through social media.
fiddle the books
1/fˈɪdəl ðə bˈʊks/
fixed phrase
informal
Dishonestly change financial records
To change money records in a secret and wrong way, usually to steal money or hide problems.
Exemplos
- The accountant went to prison for fiddling the books.
- They discovered he had been fiddling the books for years to hide losses.
- The report claimed that several managers had fiddled the books to increase their bonuses.
fiddle while Rome burns
1/fˈɪdəl wˈaɪl ɹˈoʊm bˈɚnz/
idiom
literary
Ignore a crisis to do trivial things
To do small, unimportant things and ignore a big and serious problem.
Exemplos
- The company is losing money, but the managers just fiddle while Rome burns.
- With climate change getting worse, some governments seem to be fiddling while Rome burns.
fiddle with
1/fˈɪdəl wˈɪθ/
phrasal verb
Touch or move something nervously
To keep moving or touching something small with your fingers, often because you are bored, nervous, or not paying attention.
Exemplos
- He fiddled with his watch while he waited for the call.
- Please stop fiddling with the remote and choose a channel.
- She sat at the back of the room, fiddling with her necklace.
fit as a fiddle
1/fˈɪt ˈæz ə fˈɪdəl/
idiom
informal
In very good physical condition
Very healthy and strong.
Exemplos
- My grandmother is ninety and still fit as a fiddle.
- He goes to the gym every day and is fit as a fiddle.
- After a week of rest, she was fit as a fiddle again.
on the fiddle
1/ˈɔn ðə fˈɪdəl/
idiom
informal
Doing small, regular financial cheating
Doing a small but regular money cheat, for example at work or with taxes.
Exemplos
- Everyone knew he was on the fiddle, but no one reported him.
- The investigation found that several employees had been on the fiddle for years.
- He used to be on the fiddle, claiming for expenses he never had.
play first fiddle
1/plˈeɪ fˈɚst fˈɪdəl/
idiom
Have the main leading role
To be the most important or leading person in a group or activity.
Exemplos
- She plays first fiddle in the project and makes all the key decisions.
- For the first time in his career, he was playing first fiddle rather than supporting others.
play second fiddle (to someone)
1/plˈeɪ sˈɛkənd fˈɪdəl tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
Be in a less important role
To have a less important position than another person and accept that they are the leader or main person.
Exemplos
- He was tired of playing second fiddle to his younger brother.
- She refused to play second fiddle to anyone in the company.
- For years he played second fiddle to the star striker on the team.
play the fiddle
1/plˈeɪ ðə fˈɪdəl/
fixed phrase
Play the violin
To play music on a violin or fiddle.
Exemplos
- Her father taught her to play the fiddle when she was a child.
- He plays the fiddle in a traditional Irish band.
- A street musician was playing the fiddle outside the station.