ˈtudel, v. rare.
[app. repr. Ger. dudeln, tudeln, ‘to perform badly on a musical instrument’; cf. also toodle v.]
intr. A depreciative or humorous expression for ‘to play on a musical instrument’. Hence ˈtudeler [cf. Ger. dudler bad player or singer]. So ˈtudle adv. or int., an imitation of the sound of a flute or similar instrument (cf. toodle-toodle s.v. toodle v.).
| 1814 F. Burney Wanderer II. 109 Give her as much of your tudeling as will come to this... By then, she'll be able to twiddle over them wires by herself. Ibid. 110 He called her his pretty tudeler. 1834 J. Downing Life & Writ. 23 The fifes and the bugles..went tudle, tudle, tudle, tudle. |