To play first fiddle
(gcide) | 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.
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2. (Bot.) A kind of dock (Rumex pulcher) with fiddle-shaped
leaves; -- called also fiddle dock.
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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.
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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.]
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