piddling

UK: /ˈpɪdlɪŋ/ US: /ˈpɪdlɪŋ/ ,(pid′ling)

From the verb piddle: (⇒ conjugate)

piddling is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pid•dling /ˈpɪdlɪŋ/   adj. 

1. so small in amount as to be unimportant or ignored;
   negligible:
   the school's piddling resources for special students.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pid•dling  (pid′ling), adj. 

1. amounting to very little;
   trifling;
   negligible:
   a piddling sum of money.

• piddle + -ing² 1550–60

Synonyms

trivial, insignificant, paltry, picayune.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

piddling / ˈpɪdlɪŋ/, piddly / ˈpɪdlɪ/ adjective

1. petty; trifling; trivial

ˈpiddlingly adverb

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pid•dle /ˈpɪdəl/   v. [no object] , -dled, -dling. 

1. to waste time;
   dawdle:
   just piddling around doing nothing.
2. [Informal.] to urinate.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pid•dle  (pid′l), v., -dled, -dling. 
v.i. 

1. to spend time in a wasteful, trifling, or ineffective way;
   dawdle (often fol. by around):
   He wasted the day piddling around.
2. [Informal.] (esp. of children and pets) to urinate.

v.t. 

3. to waste (time, money, etc.);
   fail to utilize (usually fol. by away).

• origin, originally uncertain 1535–45

pid′dler, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

piddle / ˈpɪd^əl/ verb

1. (intransitive) to urinate
2. when tr, often followed by away: to spend (one's time) aimlessly; fritter

Etymology: 16th Century: origin unknown

ˈpiddler noun