Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Medieval Latin
Origin: vitula 'instrument played at ceremonies'

fiddle

1 noun
     
Related topics: Music, Crime
fid‧dle1 [countable] informal
1APM a violin
2 British EnglishSCC a dishonest way of getting money:
an insurance fiddle
They suspected he was on the fiddle (=getting money dishonestly or illegally) all along.
3

be a fiddle

to be difficult to do and involve complicated movements of your hands:
This blouse is a bit of a fiddle to do up.

➔ fit as a fiddle

at fit2 (1)

; ➔ play second fiddle (to somebody)

at play1 (22)
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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