Heading
2. (common).—A sharper; a cheat; also fiddle (q.v.).
3. (pugilistic).—A prize-fighter; one who depends more on activity than upon strength or 'stay.'
4. (common).—A sixpence. [From the old custom of each couple at a dance paying the fiddler a sixpence. Cf., Fiddler's money.]
1885. Household Words, 20 June, p. 155. Why a sixpence should be a 'magpie' it would be hard to say. A more easily explained name . . . is a fiddler. This probably from the old custom of each couple at a dance paying the fiddler sixpence, and, moreover 'fiddler's money' is generally small money.
5. (common).—A farthing. For synonyms, see Fadge.
1885. Household Words, 20 June, p. 155. fiddler. This same word also does duty as an equivalent for a farthing.
Fiddlers'-Fare, subs. (old).—Meat,
drink, and money—Grose,
1785.
Fiddlers'-Green, subs. (nautical).—A
sailor's elysium (situate on
the hither and cooler side of hell)
of wine, women, and song.
1837. Marryat, Snarley-Yow, ch. ix. At Fiddler's Green, where seamen true, When here they've done their duty, The bowl of grog shall still renew, And pledge to love and beauty.
1842. Lover, Handy Andy, ch.xii 'He would as soon go into Squire Egan's house as go to Fiddler's Green.' 'Faith, then, there's worse places than Fiddler's Green,' said Andy, 'as some people may find out one o' these days.'
1884. Henley and Stevenson, Admiral Guinea, iv., 4. Jack Gaunt, . . . it's thanks to you I've got my papers, and this time I'm shipped for Fiddler's Green.
Fiddlers'-Money, subs. (old).—Sixpences.
[From the custom
at country merry-makings of each
couple paying the fiddler sixpence.]
Also generically, small
silver.
Fiddlestick! intj. (colloquial).—Nonsense;
sometimes fiddle-stick's
end and fiddle-de-dee.
1600. Nashe, Summer's Last Will, in wks. (Grosart) VI., 130. A fiddle-sticke! ne're tell me I am full of words.
1701. Farquhar, Sir Harry Wildair, Act IV., Sc. ii. Golden pleasures! Golden fiddlesticks—What d'ye tell me of your canting stuff?
1834. Southey, The Doctor, ch. clxxxix. At such an assertion he would have exclaimed, a fiddlestick! Why and how that word has become an interjection of contempt I must leave those to explain who can.
Subs.—1. See quot.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 172. Fiddlestick, a spring saw.
2. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick.
3. (old).—A sword.
1595. Shakspeare, Romeo and Juliet, iii., 1. Here's my fiddlestick: here's that shall make you dance.
Fiddling, subs. (streets').—1. A
livelihood got on the streets,
holding horses, carrying parcels,
etc.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 211. A lad that had been lucky fiddling (holding horses, or picking up money anyhow).
2. See quot. and cf., quot., subs., sense 1.
1850. Lloyd's Weekly, 3 Feb. 'Low Lodging Houses of London.' I live on 2s. a week from thieving, because I understand fiddling—that means, buying a thing for a mere trifle, and selling it for double, or for more, if you're not taken in yourself.
3. (colloquial).—Idling; trifling.
