Sekirov Dictionary

noodle

UK [ˈnuː.dl̩]US /ˈnu.dəl/

noun 10
verb 14
forms 3
phrases 1

noun10

•
[usually plural] A string or flat strip of pasta or other dough, usually cooked (at least initially) by boiling, and served in soup or in a dry form mixed with a sauce and other ingredients.
- She slurped a long noodle up out of her soup.
- She is cooking noodles for dinner.
(informal, slang) The brain; the head.
An object which is long and thin like a noodle.
(informal) Ellipsis of pool noodle (“a long, slender tube or rod, extruded from buoyant foam and usually brightly coloured, used as an exercise tool or toy in swimming pools”).
•
(informal, old-fashioned) A person with poor judgment; a fool.
- You vvrong me, noodle (boxes his ears). Novv then to the point. — 1796
An improvised passage of music played on an instrument; also, a series of ornamental notes played on an instrument; a trill.
(slang) The penis.
(Internet, humorous) A borzoi dog.
(slang) A long and slender dragon, usually an eastern dragon.
(no longer used) A dumpling cooked by boiling and served in soup; a knaidel or knödel.

verb14

•
(US, informal) To attempt in an informal or uncertain manner; to fiddle.
- If the machine is really broken, noodling with the knobs is not going to fix it.
(US, informal) Often followed by about or around: to mess around, to play.
(dialect, informal) To engage in frivolous behavior; to fool around or waste time.
To play (a musical instrument or passage of music) or to sing (a passage of music) in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play (a series of ornamental notes) on an instrument.
•
To play a musical instrument or to sing in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play a series of ornamental notes on an instrument.
- He has been noodling with that trumpet all afternoon, and every bit of it sounds awful.
•
(US, informal) To ponder or think about (something).
- “Noodle that thought around for a while,” said Dr. Johnson to his Biblical Interpretations class.
•
(US, informal) To ponder or think, especially in an unproductive or unsystematic manner; to muse.
- He noodled over the problem for a day or two before making a decision.
•
To catch (fish (usually very large catfish), turtles, or other aquatic animals) with the hands; also, to catch (fish) using a gaff or fishing spear; to gaff.
- Fred had several lacerations on his hands from noodling flathead in the river.
To hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume.
(Australia) To search (mullock (“mining or ore processing waste”)) for opals.
•
(Australia) To search mullock for opals; to fossick.
- On the Olympic Field the tour-group is permitted to ‘noodle’ (hunt for opals) on the waste or mullock heaps […] — 1989
(Australia) To obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock.
(Australia) To clear extraneous material from (an opal).
(no longer used) To fool or trick (someone).

forms

noodled · noodling · noodles

Phrases with noodle

noodle up
To come up with (something); to brainstorm (an idea).

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