diddle
diddle Lexical Profile
diddle Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To cheat, swindle, or deliberately falsify so as to deceive someone (informal).
"He realized too late that the dishonest vendor had diddled him out of ten pounds."
To pass time idly or unproductively; to dawdle or trifle (informal).
"Stop diddling around with your phone and finish packing your bags."
To move rapidly back and forth or up and down; to jiggle.
"He absentmindedly diddled the toggle switch while waiting for the machine to warm up."
• noun
British An act of cheating, swindling, or petty fraud (informal).
"The whole tax-relief scheme turned out to be an elaborate diddle."
In percussion, a rudiment consisting of two consecutive drumstrokes played by the same hand.
"Mastering clean, even diddles is essential before attempting a fast double-stroke roll on the snare drum."
Word Nuance & Usage
In North American slang, the verb 'diddle' frequently carries a vulgar or taboo connotation referring to sexual fondling or molestation, whereas in British and Commonwealth English it primarily remains a mild colloquialism meaning to cheat or swindle.
• Rhymes for diddle
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense 'to cheat or swindle' likely derives from the character Jeremy Diddler in James Kenney's 1803 farce 'Raising the Wind', who continually borrowed small sums of money without paying them back. Other senses denoting rapid movement or trifling are probably symbolic formations akin to 'fiddle' and 'dawdle'.