Piddling

/ˈpɪd.lɪŋ/

Meaning & Definition

verb
To waste time or engage in aimless activity.
Instead of studying, he spent the afternoon piddling around the house.
adjective
Trivial or insignificant; of little importance.
She dismissed his concerns as piddling and not worthy of her time.
Petty or small-scale.
They wasted hours arguing over piddling details in the contract.

Etymology

Mid 19th century, likely from the verb piddle, which means to waste time.

Common Phrases and Expressions

piddling around
To waste time doing unimportant things.
piddling tasks
Small, insignificant tasks that do not require much effort.
piddling amounts
Very small amounts, often referring to money.

Related Words

piddle
To waste time or to do something in a trivial way.
piddler
A person who piddles; someone who wastes time.

Slang Meanings

To engage in monotonous or trivial activity.
He spent all day piddling instead of making progress.
To mess around without any serious intention.
Quit piddling and let’s get serious about this project.