noodle
3
[ nood-l ]
/ ˈnud l /
verb (used without object), noo·dled, noo·dling.
to improvise a musical passage in a casual manner, especially as a warm-up exercise.
Informal.
- to play; toy: to noodle with numbers as a hobby.
- to improvise, experiment, or think creatively: The writers noodled for a week and came up with a better idea for the ad campaign.
verb (used with object), noo·dled, noo·dling.
Informal.
- to manipulate or tamper with: She denied that she had noodled the statistics to get a favorable result.
- to make or devise freely as an exercise or experiment (sometimes followed by up): The architects noodled up a model of a solar house.
Verb Phrases
noodle around, Informal.
to play, experiment, or improvise.
Origin of noodle
3
An Americanism dating back to 1935–40; origin uncertain
Words nearby noodle
nonwoven,
nonyl alcohol,
nonzero,
noob,
noodge,
noodle,
noodlehead,
noodling,
noogie,
noogoora burr,
nooit
Example sentences from the Web for noodling
British Dictionary definitions for noodling (1 of 4)
noodling
/ (ˈnuːdlɪŋ) /
noun
slang
aimless musical improvisation
British Dictionary definitions for noodling (2 of 4)
noodle
1
/ (ˈnuːdəl) /
noun
(often plural)
a ribbon-like strip of pasta: noodles are often served in soup or with a sauce
Word Origin for noodle
C18: from German
Nudel, origin obscure
British Dictionary definitions for noodling (3 of 4)
Word Origin for noodle
C18: perhaps a blend of
noddle
1 and
noodle
1
British Dictionary definitions for noodling (4 of 4)
noodle
3
/ (ˈnuːdəl) /
verb
(intr) slang
to improvise aimlessly on a musical instrument