twiddle

[ twid-l ]

verb (used with object)

, twid·dled, twid·dling.

1. to turn about or play with lightly or idly, especially with the fingers; twirl.

verb (used without object)

, twid·dled, twid·dling.

1. to play or trifle idly with something; fiddle.
2. to turn about lightly; twirl.

noun

1. the act of twiddling; turn; twirl.

twiddle

/ ˈtwɪdəl /

verb

1. whenintr, often foll by with to twirl or fiddle (with), often in an idle way
2. to do nothing; be unoccupied
3. intr to turn, twirl, or rotate
4. rare.
   intr to be occupied with trifles

noun

1. an act or instance of twiddling

Derived Forms

• ˈtwiddler, noun

Other Words From

• twiddler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of twiddle¹

1530–40; perhaps blend of twitch and fiddle

Word History and Origins

Origin of twiddle¹

C16: probably a blend of twirl + fiddle

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. twiddle one's thumbs, to do nothing; be idle:

   Business was slack, and the salespeople were twiddling their thumbs.

Example Sentences

Biden said he had tasked his entire administration with finding levers to pull and knobs to twiddle that might reduce inflation.

From Salon

In a perfect world, we would love to be able to sit down and tweak here and twiddle there and doodle, doodle, doodle, and spit out this incredible photographic image of what the guy looks like and it’s perfect and it’s wonderful.

From Slate

"I could either twiddle my thumbs or I could do something to help people and open," he said.

From Reuters

"It's July 2023. Building out the leadership of that operation today, so they can sit around and twiddle their thumbs for the next six months would be nuts," he said.

From Reuters

There may be efforts to avoid the unbearable lightness of last week's Commons business in the week ahead, but the causes remain the same - a surfeit of detailed legislation inching through the Upper House, while MPs twiddle their thumbs on the green benches of the Commons.

From BBC

Related Words

• fidget