fiddled with

Verb

fiddle with (third-person singular simple present fiddles with, present participle fiddling with, simple past and past participle fiddled with)

1. (transitive) To manipulate or toy with (an object), especially in a nervous, restless or aimless manner.
   • Stop fiddling with your food!

   Synonyms:

   tweak, adjust, tinker

2. (transitive) To tinker with: to make small adjustments or improvements to (something), especially in an experimental or unskilled manner.
   • If you fiddle with the controls, you might be able to get a better TV picture.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To manipulate in order to gain something for oneself.
   • Don't Fiddle With Sellers Who Have No Equity2004, Jay P. DeCima, Start Small, Profit Big in Real Estate, page 65

   Synonyms:

   mess with

4. (colloquial, euphemistic, reflexive, transitive, usually) To masturbate.
   • I was in the Woodley Park–Zoo in D.C. and mom and sister were waiting to see the pandas, so me and my pops broke away to check out the monkey house. Well, there was a beautiful teacher, I mean we're talking a ten, she was blond, had a low-cut dress on, just gorgeous. And she has about eight or nine...2006 May 9, Penn Jillette, Michael Goudeau, quoting Chris, 22:22 from the start, in Penn Radio