Piddlin’ (Piddling)
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "piddlin’" (sometimes written "piddling") means 1) doing small, unimportant - even ridiculous tasks to seem busy (foolin’ around without much purpose), or 2) something tiny or insignificant, often described as a "piddlin’ amount."
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Hillbilly Dude Says...
When somebody's not doin' much o'nuthin - they 'piddlin’. Common talk out in the country for sure. Pronunciation
[PID-lin]
Meaning & Usage
- Doing unimportant tasks or wasting time (verb)
Mae:
What’s Earl up to?
What’s Earl up to?
Earl:
Nothin’ much - just piddlin’ in the yard.
Nothin’ much - just piddlin’ in the yard.- Something small or insignificant (adjective)
Mae:
They paid him a piddlin’ wage for all that work.
They paid him a piddlin’ wage for all that work.variations: foolin’ around, tinkerin’, dawdlin’, messin’ around, piddlin’ amount, small potatoes, triflin’
★ When somebody’s "just piddlin’," they might look busy but aren’t really doin’ much. If it’s a "piddlin’ amount," it means hardly worth mentionin’. ★
Origin
From older English "piddle," meaning to waste time or do trifling things. The word carried strong into Appalachian and Southern speech, where it remains common in both senses.
Notes
Still widely used in Southern and Appalachian regions. Outside the area, people may understand it in context, but it’s less common in everyday talk.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "pid-lin." The "g" is dropped - always "piddlin’."