Scotch-fiddle, subs. (common).—The itch.
To hang up the fiddle.—To abandon an undertaking.
To play first or second fiddle, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To take a
leading or a subordinate part. Among tailors second fiddle = an
unpleasant task.
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. xii., p. 122. To say that Tom
had no idea of playing first fiddle in any social orchestra but was
always quite satisfied to be set down for the hundred and fiftieth
violin in the band, or thereabouts, is to express his modesty in
very inadequate terms.
1847. Thackeray, Letter, 2 Jan., to W. E. Ayton in Memoirs. If my
friend will shout, Titmarsh for ever, hurrah for etc., etc., I may
go up with a run to a pretty fair place in my trade, and be allowed
to appear before the public as among the first fiddles.
1886. Jas. Payn, Grape from a Thorn, ch. xi. She had inherited from
her mother an extreme objection to playing, in any orchestra
whatsoever, the second fiddle.
Fit as a fiddle, phr. (colloquial).—In good form or condition.
1886. Jas. Payn, Heir of the Ages (Ry. ed. 1888), p. 63.
Intj.—See Fiddle-de-dee.
Fiddle-bow, subs. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick.
Fiddle-faced, adj. (colloquial).—Wizened, also substantively.
1885. W. Westall, Larry Lohengrin, ch. v. Tell me how far, in your
opinion, I answer to this flattering description of
yours—white-chokered, strait-laced, and fiddle-faced?
Fiddle-faddle, subs. (colloquial).—Twaddling; trifling; ‘little
nothings’; rot (q.v.). Fr., oui, les lanciers!
1593. G. Harvey, Pierces Super. in wks. II., 98. Or who of
judgment, will not cry? away with these paultringe fidle-fadles.
1657. Political Ballads (ed. Wilkins, 1860), vol. I., p. 139. After
much fiddle-faddle The egg proved addle.
1712. Spectator, No. 299. Their mother tells them ... that her
mother danced in a ball at Court with the Duke of Monmouth; with
abundance of fiddle-faddle of the same nature.
1876. C. H. Wall, trans. Molière, vol. i., p. 157. I see nothing
about here but white of eggs, milk of roses, and a thousand
fiddle-faddles that I know nothing about.
Adj. Trifling; fussing; fluffing.
1712. Arbuthnot, Hist. of John Bull, pt. III., ch. viii. She was a
troublesome, fiddle-faddle old woman, and so ceremonious that there
was no bearing of her.
b. 1811, d. 1863. Thackeray, Character Sketches (Fashionable
Authoress). She interlards her works with fearful quotations from the
French, fiddle-faddle extracts from Italian operas, German phrases,
fiercely mutilated, and a scrap or two of bad Spanish.
Verb. To toy; to trifle; to talk nonsense; to gossip; to make ‘much cry
and little wool.’
1761. Dr. Hawksworth, Edgar and Emmeline, I., ii. Here have I had a
young, tempting girl fiddle-faddling about me these two hours to
dress me.
1873. Miss Broughton, Nancy, ch. xxxvii. I am idly fiddle-faddling
with a piece of work.
Also Fiddle-faddler, one inclined to fiddle-faddles.
Fiddle-head, subs. (nautical).—A plain prow as distinguished from a
figure-head. Hence fiddle-headed = plain; ugly.
1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, III., i., 316 (ed. 1846). She has a
d——d pretty run; but I hope Captain O’Brien will take off her
fiddle-head and get one carved: I never knew a vessel do much with
a fiddle-head.
1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. v. ‘Zounds! you’ve broke
it, you fiddle-headed brute!’ exclaimed a choleric voice ...,
startling the ladies most unceremoniously, and preparing them for
the spectacle of a sturdy black cob trotting rebelliously down the
farm-road.
Fiddler, subs. (old).—1. A trifler; a careless, negligent, or dilatory
person. [From Fiddle, to trifle.]
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.) s.v.