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Fiddle vs Shirk - What's the difference?

fiddle | shirk |

As nouns the difference between fiddle and shirk

is that fiddle is (music) any of various bowed string instruments, often used to refer to a violin when played in any of various traditional styles, as opposed to classical violin while shirk is one who shirks or shirk can be (islam) the unforgivable sin of idolatry.

As verbs the difference between fiddle and shirk

is that fiddle is to play aimlessly while shirk is to avoid, especially a duty, responsibility, etc; to stay away from.

fiddle

English

(wikipedia fiddle)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (music) Any of various bowed string instruments, often used to refer to a violin when played in any of various traditional styles, as opposed to classical violin.
  • When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like that, it's a violin.
  • A kind of dock (Rumex pulcher ) with leaves shaped like the musical instrument.
  • An adjustment intended to cover up a basic flaw.
  • That parameter setting is just a fiddle to make the lighting look right.
  • A fraud; a scam.
  • (nautical) On board a ship or boat, a rail or batten around the edge of a table or stove to prevent objects falling off at sea. (Also fiddle rail )
  • Synonyms

    * (instrument) violin

    Derived terms

    * fiddle brake * fiddle factor * fiddle-faddle * fiddlehead * fiddly * first fiddle * fit as a fiddle * lead fiddle * second fiddle

    See also

    * crowd, crwth

    Verb

    (fiddl)
  • To play aimlessly.
  • * Samuel Pepys
  • Talking, and fiddling with their hats and feathers.
    You're fiddling your life away.
  • To adjust in order to cover a basic flaw or fraud etc.
  • I needed to fiddle the lighting parameters to get the image to look right.
    Fred was sacked when the auditors caught him fiddling the books.
  • (music) To play traditional tunes on a violin in a non-classical style.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Themistocles said he could not fiddle , but he could make a small town a great city.

    Synonyms

    * (to adjust in order to cover a basic flaw) fudge

    Derived terms

    * fiddle about * fiddle around * fiddle the books * fiddle with * fiddler

    See also

    * fritter

    shirk

    English

    Etymology 1

    First attested use in 1625 – 1635, apparently from association with shark (verb form), or from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To avoid, especially a duty, responsibility, etc.; to stay away from.
  • * Hare
  • the usual makeshift by which they try to shirk difficulties
  • To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away.
  • If you have a job, don't shirk from it by staying off work.
  • * Byron
  • One of the cities shirked from the league.
  • To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation.
  • * Bishop Rainbow
  • You that never heard the call of any vocation, that shirk living from others, but time from yourselves.
    Synonyms
    * blow off (US) * goldbrick (dated)
    See also
    * malinger

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • one who shirks
  • Etymology 2

    (etyl) (širk , "idolatry").

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (Islam) the unforgivable sin of idolatry
  • References

    English heteronyms