What does playing the fiddle mean?

What does playing the fiddle mean?

A fiddle is the same thing as a violin. To play the fiddle is to fiddle, and when you mess or play around with something, you also fiddle: “Do you have to fiddle with your pen while I’m talking?” Someone who’s “fit as a fiddle” is in perfect health. …

What does fiddle mean?

Definition of fiddle (Entry 2 of 2) intransitive verb. 1 : to play on a fiddle. 2a : to move the hands or fingers restlessly. b : to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity : putter, tinker fiddled around with the engine for hours.

Where does the saying on the fiddle come from?

Being on the fiddle means being corrupt or getting more than you should from the system. It is a nautical term which refers to the raised edges of the square dinner plates used on board ships. The raised edges (known as fiddles) prevented the food from sliding or rolling off during rough seas.

What does the simile as fit as a fiddle mean?

The phrase “fit as a fiddle” is a simile that means being in good health; something that’s in sound condition. Example: After a routine health check up with his local physician, Jeremy’s doctor concluded that he was healthy. In other words, he was as fit as a fiddle.

What is the difference between fiddles and violins?

“Fiddle is just a little more slang than the violin, which is actually the real name of the instrument”. The fiddle is a violin played as a folk instrument. It is also the colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music. Fiddle playing, or fiddling, is a style of music.

What does fill the bill mean?

or to fill the bill. phrase. If you say that someone or something fits the bill or fills the bill, you mean that they are suitable for a particular job or purpose.

What does I was fit to be tied mean?

Fit to be tied describes someone who is extremely angry, someone who is enraged. Fit to be tied evokes a picture of someone who is so angry that he must be tied up to restrain him from committing an act of aggression. Of course, in most cases fit to be tied is an exaggeration of a person’s state of mind.

Can I teach myself to play the fiddle?

Going it alone. It’s quite possible for you to learn to play the fiddle without books, internet, instruction, outside help, but I wouldn’t advise it. A good instructor or book can set you on the right path without getting into a lot of bad habits.

What does fiddling mean?

intransitive verb. 1 : to play on a fiddle. 2a : to move the hands or fingers restlessly. b : to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity : putter, tinker fiddled around with the engine for hours. c : meddle, tamper.

What is a fiddle used for?

As a general rule, a violin is used for classical music and a fiddle is used for folk, country, and bluegrass. In the rock and jazz idioms, the terms are used more interchangeably.

How much is a fiddle?

Re: How much should I spend on my first fiddle? violin quality has really improved in the last 10 or so years for entry level instruments, you can get a very good instrument for around $300 to $500.

Is the fiddle hard to learn?

Yes, the fiddle is hard to learn, but not as hard as the classical violin. It is also more enjoyable to learn than classical. It usually takes between eighteen months and two years to get good enough to play in front of others and 4-5 years to be classed as a good fiddler.