Definition of "noodle"

noodle¹

/nuːdl̩/

noun
plural noodles
1. (usually in the plural) A string or flat strip of pasta or other dough, usually cooked (at least initially) by boiling, and served in soup or in a dry form mixed with a sauce and other ingredients.
2. (by extension) An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1).
  1. (informal) Short for pool noodle (“a long, slender tube or rod, extruded from buoyant foam and usually brightly coloured, used as an exercise tool or toy in swimming pools”).
3. (archaic) A dumpling cooked by boiling and served in soup; a knaidel or knödel.

noodle²

/nuːdl̩/

noun
plural noodles
1. (dated) A person with poor judgment; a fool.
  Quotations
  Laura told me the names of all the actors and actreſſes as they preſented themſelves; and, not contented vvith this, the ſatyrical baggage deſcrib'd their characters nicely, as they appeared. "This here (ſaid ſhe) is a noodle—That fellovv is a brute: […]."
  1751, [Alain-René Lesage], “Which is as Short as the Foregoing”, in [Tobias George Smollett], transl., The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] J. Osborn, […], book III, page 244
  You vvrong me, noodle (boxes his ears). Novv then to the point.
  1796 March 25 (first performance), J[ames] C. Cross, “The Village Doctor, a Burletta. […]”, in Parnassian Bagatelles: Being a Miscellaneous Collection of Poetical Attempts. […], London: […] Burton and Co. […]; [for] Bellamy, […], published 1796, page 140
  [T]hou would'st fling thy cuckoldy steeple-hat one way, and that bloodthirsty long-sword another, and trip like the noodles of Hogs-Norton, when the pigs play on the organ.
  1826, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, page 67
  [A] long and hopeless career in your profession, the chuckling grin of noodles, the sarcastic leer of the genuine political rogue— […] these were the penalties exacted for liberality of opinion at that period; and not only was there no pay, but there were many stripes.
  1839, Sydney Smith, “Preface”, in The Works of the Rev. Sydney Smith. […], volume I, London: […] [A[ndrew] Spottiswoode] for Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], page viii
  If that portrait could speak, sir,— […] it would testify, that a long period has elapsed since I first habitually addressed it as the picture of a Noodle. Nothing that a Noodle does, can awaken surprise or indignation; the proceedings of a Noodle can only inspire contempt.
  1854, Charles Dickens, “Final”, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], book the third (Garnering), page 349
  "What are you two noodleth laughing at?" Norrie went on, with a touch of indignation. "Ithn't the thenthe of thent in hith nothe?"The speaker is lisping.
  1905 February 4, Alfred Colbeck, “Netted: The Story of a Capture”, in The Boy’s Own Paper, volume XXVII, number 19 (number 1360 overall), London: “Boy’s Own Paper” Office, […], chapter V (A Surprising Capture), page 314, column 1
2. (slang) The brain; the head.
  Quotations
  [W]hat appears to at first glance to be a thinking problem can be a problem with sight or hearing. […] There's nothing wrong with your noodle; it's your sensory equipment that needs a bit of help. Learn to compensate.
  2006, Mark Victor Hansen, Art Linkletter, “Mind or Are You ‘Sageing’ or Aging?”, in How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson, page 172
verb
third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled
1. (transitive, obsolete) To fool or trick (someone).
2. (intransitive, Britain, dialectal, informal) To engage in frivolous behaviour; to fool around or waste time.

noodle³

/nuːdl̩/

verb
third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled
1. (transitive, intransitive, Shetland, singing) To hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume.

noodle⁴

/nuːdl̩/

verb
third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled
1. (transitive)
  1. (chiefly jazz) To play (a musical instrument or passage of music) or to sing (a passage of music) in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play (a series of ornamental notes) on an instrument.
  2. (US, informal) To ponder or think about (something).
2. (intransitive)
  1. (chiefly jazz) To play a musical instrument or to sing in an improvisatory or lighthearted manner; also, to play a series of ornamental notes on an instrument.
    Quotations
    [A]udible here and there / in the half-dark, members of an avian orchestra / are already softly noodling, limbering up for / an overture at sunrise, […]
    1965, W[ystan] H[ugh] Auden, “[Thanksgiving for a Habitat] XI: The Cave of Nakedness (for Louis and Emmie Kronenberger)”, in About the House, New York, N.Y., Toronto, Ont.: Random House, page 34
    We’ve learned the prospective danger of Macca [Paul McCartney] noodling around in the studio from McCartney III’s predecessors—“Wonderful Christmastime” came out of the McCartney II sessions, after all.
    2020 November 9, Gwen Ihnat, “With McCartney III, Paul McCartney Offers Lessons from a Legendary Life”, in The A.V. Club‎, archived from the original on 16 May 2022
  2. (US, informal)
    To ponder or think, especially in an unproductive or unsystematic manner; to muse.
    To attempt in an informal or uncertain manner; to fiddle.
    Often followed by about or around: to mess around, to play.
noun
plural noodles
1. (chiefly jazz) An improvised passage of music played on an instrument; also, a series of ornamental notes played on an instrument; a trill.

noodle⁵

/nuːdl̩/

verb
third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled
1. (transitive)
  1. To search (mullock (“mining or ore processing waste”)) for opals.
  2. To obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock.
  3. (also figuratively) To clear extraneous material from (an opal).
2. (intransitive) To search mullock for opals; to fossick.
  Quotations
  On the Olympic Field the tour-group is permitted to ‘noodle’ (hunt for opals) on the waste or mullock heaps […]
  1989, Association for Industrial Archaeology, Industrial archaeology review, volume 12
  In Coober Pedy, noodling for opals is generally discouraged, although a few tourist spots, such as the Old Timers Mine, have noodle pits open to the public.
  1994, RonMoon, Outback Australia: a Lonely Planet Australia guide
  We learn how Lennon used to noodle (fossick) for opal as a kid, how camels were for a long time the only form of transportation, and where the name 'Coober Pedy' came from.
  2006, Making Waves: 10 Years of the Byron Bay Writers Festival, edited by Marele Day, Susan Bradley Smith, and Fay Knight, (Please provide the book title or journal name)

noodle⁶

/nuːdl̩/

verb
third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled
1. (transitive, fishing) To catch (fish (usually very large catfish), turtles, or other aquatic animals) with the hands; also, to catch (fish) using a gaff or fishing spear; to gaff.

Definition of "noodle"

noodle1

noun

noodle2

noun

Quotations

Quotations

verb

noodle3

verb

noodle4

verb

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noun

noodle5

verb

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noodle6

verb

noodle¹

noodle²

noodle³

noodle⁴

noodle⁵

noodle⁶