twiddle

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

twiddle
    n 1: a series of small (usually idle) twists or turns
    v 1: turn in a twisting or spinning motion; "The leaves swirled
         in the autumn wind" [syn: {twirl}, {swirl}, {twiddle},
         {whirl}]
    2: manipulate, as in a nervous or unconscious manner; "He
       twiddled his thumbs while waiting for the interview" [syn:
       {twiddle}, {fiddle with}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Twiddle \Twid"dle\, v. t. [Probably of imitative origin. Cf.
   {Tweedle}.]
   To touch lightly, or play with; to tweedle; to twirl; as, to
   twiddle one's thumbs; to twiddle a watch key. [Written also
   twidle.] --Thackeray.
   [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Twiddle \Twid"dle\, v. i.
   To play with anything; hence, to be busy about trifles.
   --Halliwell.
   [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Twiddle \Twid"dle\, n.
   1. A slight twist with the fingers.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A pimple. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
      [1913 Webster]

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

twiddle
 n.

   1. Tilde (ASCII 1111110, ~). Also called squiggle, sqiggle (sic --
   pronounced /skig'l/), and twaddle, but twiddle is the most common
   term.

   2. A small and insignificant change to a program. Usually fixes one
   bug and generates several new ones (see also {shotgun debugging}).

   3. vt. To change something in a small way. Bits, for example, are
   often twiddled. Twiddling a switch or {knobs} implies much less sense
   of purpose than toggling or tweaking it; see {frobnicate}. To speak of
   twiddling a bit connotes aimlessness, and at best doesn't specify what
   you're doing to the bit; `toggling a bit' has a more specific meaning
   (see {bit twiddling}, {toggle}). 4. Uncommon name for the {twirling
   baton} prompt.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

twiddle

   1. <character> The {tilde} character.

   2. <jargon> (To make) a small or insignificant change.
   E.g. twiddling a program often fixes one bug and generates
   several new ones (see also {shotgun debugging}).  Bits are
   often twiddled.  Twiddling a switch or knob implies much less
   sense of purpose than toggling or {tweak}ing it; see
   {frobnicate}.  {Bit twiddling} connotes aimlessness, and at
   best doesn't specify what you're doing to the bit; to
   "{toggle} a bit" has a more specific meaning.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1995-01-31)

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

66 Moby Thesaurus words for "twiddle":
      babble, cackle, chat, chatter, come in contact, coquet, dabble,
      dally, do nothing, feel, feel of, fiddle, fiddle with,
      fiddle-faddle, fidget, fidget with, finger, finger with, flick,
      flirt, fool, fool around, fool with, fribble, frivol, gab, handle,
      horse around, idle, jerk off, juggle, kid around, loiter,
      manipulate, mess around, mess with, monkey, monkey around,
      monkey with, palm, palpate, paw, piddle, play, play around,
      play with, ply, poke at, potter, prattle, prod, putter, rattle,
      smatter, tap, thumb, tinker, touch, toy, toy with, trifle, twirl,
      waste time, wield, wiggle, yak