noodle

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): [ˈnuː.dl̩] (General American, Canada, Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈnu.dəl/, [ˈnuː.dl̩] (General Australian) IPA(key): [ˈnʉː.dl̩] Rhymes: -uːdəl Hyphenation: nood‧le === Etymology 1 === Borrowed from Dutch noedel (“noodle”)), or from its etymon German Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”); further etymology uncertain, probably a variant of Knödel (“dumpling”), from Middle High German knödel (“dumpling; small knot”), and then either: from knode, knote (“knot”) (from Old High German knodo, knoto (“knot”), perhaps ultimately related to Proto-West Germanic *knappō (“knob; boy”)) + -el (diminutive suffix); or from Ladin menùdli (“small dough dumpling in soup”), probably from Latin minutulus (“very small, tiny”) (in the sense of food chopped into small pieces), a diminutive of minūtus (“diminished; having been diminished”), the perfect passive participle of minuō (“to make smaller, diminish, lessen, reduce”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”). ==== Noun ==== noodle (plural noodles) (usually in the 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. (by extension) An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1). (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”). (archaic) A dumpling cooked by boiling and served in soup; a knaidel or knödel. (slang) The penis. (furry fandom) A long and slender dragon, usually an eastern dragon. (Internet slang, endearing, humorous) A borzoi dog. ===== Usage notes ===== In British English, the word noodle (sense 1) is chiefly used to describe Asian or northern-European food items comprising long, thin strands of dough. In American English, noodle can also refer to Italian pasta which in British English would only be referred to as pasta. ===== Hyponyms ===== ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== See also ==== pasta Thesaurus:noodle === Etymology 2 === The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is possibly a variant of noddle (“the head”). The verb is derived from the noun. ==== Noun ==== noodle (plural noodles) (informal) (dated) A person with poor judgment; a fool. (slang) The brain; the head. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled) (transitive, obsolete) To fool or trick (someone). Synonym: dupe (intransitive, British, dialectal, informal) To engage in frivolous behavior; to fool around or waste time. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 3 === Possibly either: a blend of Shetland Scots nune (“to sing softly, croon, hum”) (from Danish nynne, Norwegian nuna, nynna (“to hum; to sing”), originally imitative) + English doodle (“to play the bagpipes”) (chiefly Scotland); or from Norn (unattested), from Old Norse *grynta, from Proto-Germanic *grunnatjaną (“to grunt”), a frequentative of Proto-Germanic *grunnōną (“to grunt”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrun- (“to shout”) (and thus a doublet of grunt). ==== Verb ==== noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled) (ambitransitive, Shetland, singing) To hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 4 === The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly derived: from noodle (“to hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume”) (Shetland) (see etymology 3); or from German nudeln (“to make music or sing listlessly; to make music or sing at a low pitch or volume, or in an improvisatory manner”) (Leipzig), apparently from Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”) (see etymology 1) + -n (a variant of -en (suffix forming the infinitives of verbs)). The word was probably also influenced by doodle (“to draw or scribble aimlessly”, verb). The noun is probably derived from the verb, though the verb is first attested later. The noun was probably also influenced by doodle (“small mindless sketch”, noun). ==== Verb ==== noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled) (transitive) (chiefly jazz) 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. Coordinate term: jazzify (US, informal) To ponder or think about (something). Synonym: mull over (intransitive) (chiefly jazz) 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. Coordinate term: jam (US, informal) To ponder or think, especially in an unproductive or unsystematic manner; to muse. To attempt in an informal or uncertain manner; to fiddle. Often followed by about or around: to mess around, to play. ===== Derived terms ===== noodler noodling (noun) ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== noodle (plural noodles) (chiefly jazz) An improvised passage of music played on an instrument; also, a series of ornamental notes played on an instrument; a trill. ===== Derived terms ===== noodly ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 5 === Uncertain; possibly: from noodle (“to fool or trick (someone)”) (obsolete) (see etymology 2); or from nodule (“rounded mass or irregular shape”). ==== Verb ==== noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled) (Australia) (transitive) To search (mullock (“mining or ore processing waste”)) for opals. To obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock. (also figuratively) To clear extraneous material from (an opal). (intransitive) To search mullock for opals; to fossick. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 6 === Unknown; perhaps related to guddle (“to catch (fish) with the hands”). ==== Verb ==== noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled) (transitive, fishing) 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. (to catch with the hands): Synonyms: guddle, catfist ===== Derived terms ===== noodling (noun) ===== Translations ===== === References === === Further reading === noodle on Wikipedia.Wikipedia noodle (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia noodling (fishing) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Joseph Wright, editor (1903), “NOODLE, sb. and v.”, in The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume IV (M–Q), London: Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, →OCLC, page 294, column 1. Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “noodle”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. === Anagrams === Old One == Italian == === Etymology === Borrowed from English noodle. === Pronunciation === === Noun === noodle m (plural noodles) (usually in the plural) noodle (food) == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from English noodle. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈnudel/ [ˈnu.ð̞el] Rhymes: -udel === Noun === noodle m (plural noodles) noodle (food) Synonym: fideo