Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

fiddle-de-dee

English answer:

What nonsense/what a waste of time/this isn't important/I'm wasting my time on this (expressing impatience/annoyance)

Added to glossary by Caryl Swift
Dec 19, 2006 16:58
17 yrs ago
English term

fiddle-de-dee

English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
"Oh, fiddle-de-dee," said Scarlett through her tears.
"I'll think about it tomorrow, for tomorrow is another day."
This is a quotation from the movie "Gone with the wind".

Many thanks for your comments.

Responses

+11
4 mins
Selected

What nonsense/what a waste of time/this isn't important/I'm wasting my time on thi

An expression of dismissal

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Note added at 5 mins (2006-12-19 17:03:40 GMT)
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'...time on this' - I'm sorry about the typo

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Note added at 8 mins (2006-12-19 17:07:14 GMT)
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By an expression of dismissal, I mean one which dismisses the topic of conversation or thought, or the matter in hand as nonsense, a waste of time etc.
Peer comment(s):

agree Christina Keating (X)
4 mins
Thank you :-)
agree NancyLynn : to hell with it... one of Scarlett's favourite expressions
10 mins
The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the phrase in my e-mail box - before I even saw the question - was 'Scarlett o'Hara'. Thank you :-)
agree humbird : This is more like what a Southern Bell of the time would say instead.
1 hr
Thank you, Susan :-)
agree Will Matter
2 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree Selcuk Akyuz
2 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree Jack Doughty
3 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree Alfa Trans (X)
3 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree Djidji74 : I agree with Caryl
3 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree cmwilliams (X)
5 hrs
Thank you :-)
agree kironne : Used to express irritation, dismissive indifference, or scorn... À la Southern Belle
8 hrs
Yes,indeed,though not only.Even though my first association was Scarlett O"Hara,it also turns up in e.g.Jane Austen,William Thackery,in"Alice through the Looking Glass".À la 19th century refinement as well, perhaps? Thank you :-)
agree kmtext
16 hrs
Thank you :-)
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I'd like to thank you all for your time and help."
+7
4 mins

darn it (damn)

INTERJECTION:
Used to express mild annoyance or impatience.
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/fiddle...
Peer comment(s):

agree Christina Keating (X)
3 mins
Except Scarlett would never say "damn" - that was Rhett Butler "frankly, my dear I don't give a damn!" and he shocked a whole nation.
agree RHELLER : mild annoyance but not damn
7 mins
Yes, damn - not what Scarlett would use but what many people would use and understand.
agree NancyLynn : to hell with it... one of Scarlett's favourite expressions
10 mins
agree Alexander Demyanov : w/Rita: damn would be too strong
23 mins
agree jccantrell : No Southern belle would EVER use such strong language, Kim. Tone it down, please!
28 mins
agree writeaway : phooey. (Fiddle Dee Dee. Fiddle dee dee, fiddle dee dee,. The fly has married the bumblebee.... )
34 mins
"gosh," "golly," "jeez," "shoot," "shucks," "heck," "darn,"
agree Mark Nathan
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
+2
3 hrs

sound signifying nothing

An exclamation signifying what you say is nonsense or moonshine. Fiddle-de-dee is meant to express the sound of a fiddle-string vocalised. Hence “sound signifying nothing.”

Peer comment(s):

agree Yavor Dimitrov : I like your interpretation. As a matter of fact we have a similar expression in Bulgarian, and I am sure there is one in almost every language.
9 hrs
agree William [Bill] Gray : Yes, I like this too. It indicates the underlying attitude Scarlett is expressing: "I don't want to even recognise that anything of the matter exists at all, or demands any recognition from me".
11 hrs
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