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🎻 A violin 🤏 To fidget 😴 To avoid work 🕵️ To cheat 🎻 To play violin
to fiddle

to fiddle

5 8.0
To cheat by changing records or numbers to hide facts
  • verb
  • /ˈfɪdəl/
  • Informal
translation icon : falsear
  • But, you know, the bankers always do fiddle with the prices.
  • fiddle the numbers
  • fiddle the figures

Putin, no doubt, is playing him like a fiddle.

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Examples

  • My opinion is the same as yours—the data have been fiddled.

    Blog text (22)

  • Over the past few days, there's been a lot of sound and fury about how Facebook is allegedly fiddling with the way it filters the news feed to make it harder for brands to get as large an audience for their content as they used to.

    Blog text (10)

  • You're not allowed to fiddle with it.

    The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

  • One trader posted diary notes to himself so that he wouldn't forget to fiddle the numbers the next week.

    Blog text (29)

  • Fiddling some toff's income tax, it's all out of proportion.

    Sweeney! (1977)

  • He went straight to "indisputable evidence" that somebody was fiddling the numbers.

    Blog text (22)

  • The accountant was caught trying to fiddle the books to hide the missing funds.

  • She was accused of fiddling with the data to manipulate the results of the study.

  • He knows how to fiddle with the numbers to make the company appear more profitable than it really is.

Synonyms

trick
vsto fiddle
458 3.0

A dishonest act to make someone believe something false and take advantage

is more about changing things dishonestly not only planning deceit
to fake
vsto fiddle
195 4.2

To make or change something to trick people

is about dishonest change often aimed at stealing money or gains
to tamper
vsto fiddle
113 4.9

To interfere with something without permission in a harmful or dishonest way

focuses on altering or falsifying to take money or deceive
to finagle
vsto fiddle
  • Informal
4 8.6

Get what you want by tricking people or using clever dishonest methods

focuses on altering or falsifying objects rather than simply obtaining benefits
to flimflammer
vsto fiddle
  • Offensive
9.9

To cheat someone using tricks or fake deals

emphasizes dishonest altering or falsifying rather than only swindling
to flimflam
vsto fiddle
  • Archaic
9.6

To trick someone by lying or cheating

tends to mean altering or falsifying items rather than just deceiving people

Idioms

second fiddle
  • Informal
8 6.0

A person who has a less important role and helps someone more important

fit as a fiddle
  • Informal
6 4.2

In very good health and full of energy

to play first fiddle
  • Informal
1 7.3

To lead a group or activity as the most important person

face like a fiddle
  • UK
9.3

A face that looks healthy and young

to hang up one's fiddle
  • Archaic
9.6

To stop doing an activity, especially to stop playing music for good

Phrasal Verbs

to fiddle with
32 3.9

To touch or move something nervously without thinking

Compounds

bass fiddle
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A very large violin that makes very low sounds

fiddle-faddle
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Silly, unimportant talk that wastes time

bull fiddle
  • Archaic
9.1

A very large string instrument like a big violin that makes low sounds

wheel fiddle
9.9

A string instrument that makes sound when a wheel rubs its strings

How Dishonest

to forge
  • NSFW
66 7.1
to doctor
10 7.7
to fiddle
  • Informal
5 8.0
to tamper
113 4.9

Surface Forms

fiddle infinitive
fiddled past
fiddled past participle
fiddling present participle
fiddles third person singular

Etymology

Fiddle meaning to cheat or change something dishonestly grew from the idea of secretly changing small parts, as when you 'fiddle' with numbers to hide the truth. So to 'fiddle' the books is to change records to steal or fool people.