diddle Meaning & Definition
What Does Diddle Mean?
Diddle is a noun that means In percussion, two consecutive notes played by the same hand (either RR or LL), similar to the drag, except that by convention diddles are played the same speed as the context in which they are placed. It is also used to mean The penis. As a verb, it means To cheat; to swindle. As an interjection, it means A meaningless word used when singing a tune or indicating a rhythm.
Diddle at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb, interjection |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈdɪdəl// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | play, swindle and toy |
| Plural | diddles |
| Verb forms | diddles, diddling, diddled |
Diddle Definition (Noun)
- In percussion, two consecutive notes played by the same hand (either RR or LL), similar to the drag, except that by convention diddles are played the same speed as the context in which they are placed.
- The penis.
- Gin (the drink).
Diddle as a Verb
- To cheat; to swindle.
- To molest.
- To masturbate.
- To waste time or some other resource.
- To totter, like a child learning to walk; to daddle.
- To manipulate a value at the level of individual bits (binary digits).
Diddle as an Interjection
- A meaningless word used when singing a tune or indicating a rhythm.
What's that tune that goes "diddle di-dum, diddle di-dum, diddle di-dum-dum"?
Verb
- To have sex with.
- To masturbate (especially of women).
- To waste time.
Synonyms of Diddle
Antonyms of Diddle
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Diddle in a Sentence
What's that tune that goes "diddle di-dum, diddle di-dum, diddle di-dum-dum"?
Word Forms & Grammar
diddle (countable and uncountable, plural diddles)
diddle (third-person singular simple present diddles, present participle diddling, simple past and past participle diddled)
diddle
Words That Rhyme With Diddle
Origin of Diddle
Origin 1: From dialectal duddle (“to trick”) (16th century), and diddle, duddle (“to totter”) (17th century), perhaps dissimilated from dialectal didder, dither (“to shake, tremble”), from Middle English dideren (“to shake, quiver, tremble”) and Middle English bididren (“to seduce, deceive”), from Old English bedidrian, bedyderian (“to trick, deceive”). Compare also Saterland Frisian diedelje (“to play or sing without a melody”), Dutch bedodden, bedotten (“to trick, fool, diddle”), German Low German Diedeldentjes (“pranks, pranking”). Possibly influenced or reinforced by the name (which itself was probably chosen as an allusion to duddle) of the swindling character Jeremy Diddler in Kenney's Raising the Wind (1803).
Origin 2: Meanings "to have sex with" and "to molest" are from the 19th century; "to masturbate" is from the 1950s. Compare dildo.
Diddle Pronunciation
You say diddle as //ˈdɪdəl//. It has 1 syllable.
Diddle: Your Questions Answered
Is diddle a noun or a verb?
Diddle is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an interjection.
What is another word for diddle?
Close synonyms of diddle are play, swindle and toy. See the full list of diddle synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of diddle?
The plural of diddle is diddles.
What is the past tense of diddle?
The past tense of diddle is diddled. The present participle is diddling.