Fiddle \Fid"dle\ (f[i^]d"d'l), n. [OE. fidele, fithele, AS.
   fi[eth]ele; akin to D. vedel, OHG. fidula, G. fiedel, Icel.
   fi[eth]la, and perh. to E. viol. Cf. Viol.]
   1. (Mus.) A stringed instrument of music played with a bow; a
      violin; a kit.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Bot.) A kind of dock (Rumex pulcher) with fiddle-shaped
      leaves; -- called also fiddle dock.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Naut.) A rack or frame of bars connected by strings, to
      keep table furniture in place on the cabin table in bad
      weather. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
      [1913 Webster]

   Fiddle beetle (Zool.), a Japanese carabid beetle (Damaster
      blaptoides); -- so called from the form of the body.

   Fiddle block (Naut.), a long tackle block having two
      sheaves of different diameters in the same plane, instead
      of side by side as in a common double block. --Knight.

   Fiddle bow, fiddlestick.

   Fiddle fish (Zool.), the angel fish.

   Fiddle head, See fiddle head in the vocabulary.

   Fiddle pattern, a form of the handles of spoons, forks,
      etc., somewhat like a violin.

   Scotch fiddle, the itch. (Low)

   To play first fiddle, or To play second fiddle, to take a
      leading or a subordinate part. [Colloq.]
      [1913 Webster]