twiddle

• vt. 旋弄；抚弄；玩弄；捻起来
• vi. 旋弄
• n. 捻；转动

可能来自拟声词，比较 twaddle,瞎扯，闲聊，无聊，说废话。引申词义无聊的摆弄或捻弄小 物品，如转笔。

twiddle (v.)

1540s, "to trifle," of unknown origin, said to be probably imitative; of the fingers, "to twirl idly," first recorded 1670s. Figurative phrase twiddle one's thumbs "have nothing to do" is recorded from 1846; to twirl one's thumbs in the same sense is recorded from 1816. Related: Twiddled; twiddling.

1. The Government cannot expect graduates to twiddle their thumbs on the dole.

政府不愿意看到毕业生领着救济金却什么也不干。

来自柯林斯例句

2. So must we sit back and twiddle our thumbs?

难道我们就只能在这儿无所作为?

来自电影对白

3. When we need you help, all you and twiddle you thumbs.

当我们需要你帮助时, 你却按兵不动,亲得无聊.

来自互联网

4. All the critical twiddle - twaddle about style and form is mere impertinence and mostly dull jargon.

所有这些有关文体和体裁的蠢话,只是风马牛不相及的胡扯,多半是枯燥无味、玩弄述语的评论.

来自互联网

5. When we need you help, all you did was sit back and twiddle you thumbs.

在我们需要你帮助的时候, 你却闲坐一旁抚弄你的大拇指.

来自互联网