Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
intj
A meaningless word used when singing a tune or indicating a rhythm.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
In percussion, two consecutive notes played by the same hand (either RR or LL), similar to the drag, except that by convention diddles are played the same speed as the context in which they are placed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The penis.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: childish, countable, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Gin (the drink).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To cheat; to swindle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To molest.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To masturbate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To waste time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To totter, like a child learning to walk; to daddle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To manipulate a value at the level of individual bits (binary digits).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang, transitive
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: toy, fiddle, play
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: manipulate
Narrower terms: put out, retire
verb
deprive of by deceit
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: victimize, swindle, rook, goldbrick, nobble, bunco, defraud, scam, mulct, gyp, gip, hornswoggle, short-change, con
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cheat, rip off, chisel
Narrower terms: short-change, short
History
From dialectal duddle (“to trick”) (16th century), and diddle, duddle (“to totter”) (17th century), perhaps dissimilated from dialectal didder, dither (“to shake, tremble”), from Middle English dideren (“to shake, quiver, tremble”) and Middle English bididren (“to seduce, deceive”), from Old English bedidrian, bedyderian (“to trick, deceive”). Compare also Saterland Frisian diedelje (“to play or sing without a melody”), Dutch bedodden, bedotten (“to trick, fool, diddle”), German Low German Diedeldentjes (“pranks, pranking”). Possibly influenced or reinforced by the name (which itself was probably chosen as an allusion to duddle) of the swindling character Jeremy Diddler in Kenney's Raising the Wind (1803). Meanings "to have sex with" and "to molest" are from the 19th century; "to masturbate" is from the 1950s. Compare dildo.
Across languages
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
