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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 Cream-*stick.
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 dd 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.
