[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/twiddle/)

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# twiddle

verb (twiddle, twiddles, twiddled, twiddling); noun (a twiddle)

«twiddle» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To twist, turn or play with something with your fingers, often without thinking: twiddle a knob, twiddle your hair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#m1)
2. (phrase) «twiddle your thumbs» = to sit doing nothing, waiting, bored. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#m2)

### In the lessons

Everyday: twiddling the dial on a radio, twiddling a pencil. «Twiddling our thumbs» = wasting time while waiting. In stories it shows nervousness or boredom.

### Examples

- Stop twiddling your hair! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x1)
- He twiddled the knob to find the station. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x2)
- We sat twiddling our thumbs while the bus was late. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x3)
- She twiddled her pencil during the test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x4)
- Toad twiddled his thumbs, bored with the river. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x5)
- Twiddle the dial to set the oven. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/#x6)

### Note

Informal. Regular verb. Similar: fiddle, twirl, twist.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «twiddle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/twiddle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«twiddle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/twiddle.html) on Mova free.