diddle

verb

did·dle ˈdi-dᵊl

diddled; diddling ˈdid-liŋ

-dᵊl-iŋ

chiefly dialectal : to move with short rapid motions

: to waste (time) in trifling

: hoax, swindle

usually vulgar : to copulate with

: dawdle, fool

: fiddle, toy

—usually used with with

diddled with the machine until it broke

diddler

ˈdid-lər

-dᵊl-ər

noun

He had tried to diddle his insurance agency. She felt she had been diddled out of her inheritance.

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of diddle was in 1786

See more words from the same year

Style

“Diddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diddle. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Get Word of the Day daily email!