diddle
pronunciation
How to pronounce diddle in British English:
UK [ˈdɪdl]
How to pronounce diddle in American English:
US [ˈdɪdl]
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- Verb:
- deprive of by deceit
- manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
Word Origin
- diddle
- diddle: [19] The current meaning of diddle, ‘to cheat or swindle’, was probably inspired by Jeremy Diddler, a character who was constantly borrowing money and neglecting to repay it in James Kenney’s play Raising the Wind (1803) (the expression raise the wind means ‘to procure the necessary money’). Diddler immediately caught on as a colloquialism for a ‘swindler’, and by at the latest 1806 the verb diddle was being used in the corresponding sense. It may be that Kenney based the name Diddler on another colloquial verb diddle current at that time, meaning ‘to move shakily’ or ‘to quiver’.
- diddle (v.)
- "to cheat, swindle," 1806, from dialectal duddle, diddle "to totter" (1630s). Meaning "waste time" is recorded from 1825. Meaning "to have sex with" is from 1879; that of "to masturbate" (especially of women) is from 1950s. More or less unrelated meanings that have gathered around a suggestive sound. Related: Diddled; diddling.
Example
- 1. Did he just say " diddle " ? I love this guy .
- 2. Trying to diddle my wife ?
- 3. The swiss have special laws for people who diddle hotels .
- 4. Keep an eye on tom , he 'll diddle you if he gets the chance .
- 5. You trying to diddle my cousin ?