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noo·dle³

(ndl)

intr.v. noo·dled, noo·dling, noo·dles
Slang

To improvise music on an instrument in an idle, haphazard fashion.

[Imitative.]

noo·dle⁴

(ndl)

intr.v. noo·dled, noo·dling, noo·dles

To catch or try to catch a fish, usually a catfish, by hand, characteristically by allowing the fish to bite one's hand or placing one's hand in the fish's mouth, and then grabbing the fish by the mouth or through the gills.

[Origin unknown.]

noodler n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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