fidget

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: fidg=et

CIDE DICTIONARY

fidget, v. i. [From Fidge; cf. OE. fiken to fidget, to flatter, Icel. fika to hasten, Sw. fika to hunt after, AS. befician to deceive. Cf. Fickle.].

 To move uneasily one way and the other; to move irregularly, or by fits and starts.  Moore.  [1913 Webster]

fidget, n. 

•  Uneasiness; restlessness.  Cowper.  [1913 Webster]
•  A general nervous restlessness, manifested by incessant changes of position; dysphoria.  Dunglison.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fidget, v. & n.
--v. (fidgeted, fidgeting)
1 intr. move or act restlessly or nervously, usu. while maintaining basically the same posture.
2 intr. be uneasy, worry.
3 tr. make (a person) uneasy or uncomfortable.
--n.
1 a person who fidgets.
2 (usu. in pl.) a bodily uneasiness seeking relief in spasmodic movements; such movements. b a restless mood.

Derivative

fidgety adj. fidgetiness n.

Etymology

obs. or dial. fidge to twitch

THESAURUS

fidget

chafe, coquet, dabble, dally, dither, fiddle, fiddle with, fiddle-faddle, fidget with, fidgetiness, finger with, flip out, flirt, flutter, fool, fool around, fool with, freak out on, fret, fribble, frivol, fuss, fuss-budget, fusspot, get high on, glow, go pitapat, have the fidgets, have the jitters, have the shakes, heave, heebie-jeebies, horse around, idle, itch, itchiness, jerk, jerk off, jig, jigger, jigget, jiggle, jitter, kid around, loiter, mess around, monkey, monkey around, nervousness, palpitate, pant, piddle, play, play around, play with, potter, putter, quake, quaver, quiver, restlessness, shake, shiver, shuffle, smatter, squirm, swell, swell with emotion, thrill, thrill to, throb, tingle, tingle with excitement, tinker, toss, toss and turn, toy, toy with, tremble, trifle, tumble, turn on to, twiddle, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, uneasiness, vellicate, wiggle, wriggle, writhe

ROGET THESAURUS

fidget

Activity

N activity, briskness, liveliness, animation, life, vivacity, spirit, dash, energy, snap, vim, nimbleness, agility, smartness, quickness, velocity, alacrity, promptitude, despatch, dispatch, expedition, haste, punctuality, eagerness, zeal, ardor, perfervidum aingenium, empressement, earnestness, intentness, abandon, vigor, devotion, exertion, industry, assiduity, assiduousness, sedulity, laboriousness, drudgery, painstaking, diligence, perseverance, indefatigation, habits of business, vigilance, wakefulness, sleeplessness, restlessness, insomnia, pervigilium, insomnium, racketing, movement, bustle, stir, fuss, ado, bother, pottering, fidget, fidgetiness, flurry, officiousness, dabbling, meddling, interference, interposition, intermeddling, tampering with, intrigue, press of business, no sinecure, plenty to do, many irons in the fire, great doings, busy hum of men, battle of life, thick of the action, housewife, busy bee, new brooms, sharp fellow, sharp blade, devotee, enthusiast, zealot, meddler, intermeddler, intriguer, busybody, pickthank, hummer, hustler, live man, rustler, active, brisk, brisk as a lark, brisk as a bee, lively, animated, vivacious, alive, alive and kicking, frisky, spirited, stirring, nimble, nimble as a squirrel, agile, light-footed, nimble-footed, featly, tripping, quick, prompt, yare, instant, ready, alert, spry, sharp, smart, fast, quick as a lamplighter, expeditious, awake, broad awake, go-ahead, live wide-awake, forward, eager, strenuous, zealous, enterprising, in earnest, resolute, industrious, assiduous, diligent, sedulous, notable, painstaking, intent, indefatigable, unwearied, unsleeping, never tired, plodding, hard-working, businesslike, workaday, bustling, restless, restless as a hyena, fussy, fidgety, pottering, busy, busy as hen with one chicken, working, at work, on duty, in harness, up in arms, on one's legs, at call, up and doing, up and stirring, busy, occupied, hard at work, hard at it, up to one's ears in, full of business, busy as a bee, busy as a one-armed paperhanger, meddling, meddlesome, pushing, officious, overofficious, intrigant, astir, stirring, agoing, afoot, on foot, in full swing, eventful, on the alert, actively, with life and spirit, with might and main &c, with haste, with wings, full tilt, in mediis rebus, Int, be alive, look alive, look sharp!, move on, push on!, keep moving!, go ahead!, stir your stumps!, age quod agis!, jaldi!, karo!, step lively!, carpe diem, seize the day, nulla dies sine linea, nec mora nec requies, the plot thickens, No sooner said than done, veni vidi vici, catch a weasel asleep, abends wird der Faule fleissig, dictum ac factum, schwere Arbeit in der Jugend ist sanfte Ruhe im Al, hard work in youth means soft rest in age, the busy hum of men.

Haste

N haste, urgency, despatch, dispatch, acceleration, spurt, spirt, forced march, rush, dash, speed, velocity, precipitancy, precipitation, precipitousness, impetuosity, brusquerie, hurry, drive, scramble, bustle, fuss, fidget, flurry, flutter, splutter, hasty, hurried, brusque, scrambling, cursory, precipitate, headlong, furious, boisterous, impetuous, hotheaded, feverish, fussy, pushing, in haste, in a hurry, in hot haste, in all haste, breathless, pressed for time, hard pressed, urgent, with haste, with all haste, with breathless speed, in haste, apace, amain, all at once, at short notice, immediately, posthaste, by cable, by express, by telegraph, by forced marches, hastily, precipitately, helter-skelter, hurry-skurry, holus-bolus, slapdash, slap-bang, full-tilt, full drive, heels over head, head and shoulders, headlong, a corps perdu, by fits and starts, by spurts, hop skip and jump, sauve qui peut, every man for himself, devil take the hindmost, no time to be lost, no sooner said than done, a word and a blow, haste makes waste, maggiore fretta minore atto, ohne Hast aber ohne Rast stand not upon the order, swift, swift, you dragons of the night.

Excitability

VB be impatient, not be able to bear, bear ill, wince, chafe, champ a bit, be in a stew, be out of all patience, fidget, fuss, not have a wink of sleep, toss on one's pillow, lose one's temper, break out, burst out, fly out, go off, fly off, fly off at a tangent, fly off the handle, lose one's cool, explode, flare up, flame up, fire up, burst into a flame, take fire, fire, burn, boil, boil over, foam, fume, rage, rave, rant, tear, go wild, run wild, run mad, go into hysterics, run riot, run amuck, battre la campagne, faire le diable a quatre, play the deuce.