twid·dle / ˈtwidl/ • v. [tr.] twist, move, or fiddle with (something), typically in a purposeless or nervous way: she twiddled the dials on the radio | [intr.] he began twiddling with the curtain cord. ∎  [intr.] archaic turn or move in a twirling way.• n. an act of twisting or fiddling with something: one twiddle of a button.PHRASES: twiddle one's thumbs rotate one's thumbs around each other with the fingers linked together. ∎  be bored or idle because one has nothing to do.DERIVATIVES: twid·dler / ˈtwidlər; ˈtwidl-ər/ n.twid·dly / ˈtwidlē; ˈtwidl-ē/ adj.

twiddle †trifle XVI; turn about esp. with the fingers XVII. prob. of symbolic orig.; cf. twirl, fiddle.