Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To intrude into other people's affairs or business; interfere.
- intransitive verb To handle something carelessly or ignorantly; tamper.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To mix; mingle.
- To be mixed or mingled; mix.
- To mingle in association or interest; concern one's self; take part; deal: generally requiring with in construction.
- To interfere or take part inappropriately, improperly, or impertinently; concern or busy one's self with or about something without necessity or warrant; act in a matter with which one has no business: used absolutely, or followed by in or with.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb obsolete To mix; to mingle.
- intransitive verb obsolete To mix; to mingle.
- intransitive verb obsolete To interest or engage one's self; to have to do; -- in a good sense.
- intransitive verb To interest or engage one's self unnecessarily or impertinently, to interfere or busy one's self improperly with another's affairs; specifically, to handle or distrub another's property without permission; -- often followed by with or in.
- intransitive verb [Archaic] to intrude one's self into another person's concerns.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb intrude in other people's affairs or business; interfere unwantedly
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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How to make doing nothing - indeed REFUSING to "meddle" - look as though it is a real act of leadership.
OPEN THREAD 2009
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"it's my job to meddle," is more than equipped to tackle.
A Day Late and A Dollar Short by Terry McMillan: Questions 2001
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My meddle is definitely being tested in the Holy Land, where people still smoke in the malls (even though it’s technically illegal, but no one cares).
That Old Beast Nicotine, Revisited | Living the Liminal 2008
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But that depends on how much Sony meddle, which is, I admit, a big factor.
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Martin Luther King invited them to meddle, which is why he repeatedly said, "The world is watching," a phrase which President Obama is now using against Iran.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: Spectator of the Free World: Obama and Iran 2009
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To meddle or not to meddle, that is not the question...
OPEN THREAD 2009
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There's always a risk that the politicians will meddle, which is one reason for the Bush Administration to do this now so it can insist on enough political insulation.
Surviving the Panic 2008
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It is a decent enough trade; plenty of people with fine titles meddle with it.
Diderot and the Encyclopædists Volume II. John Morley 1880
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Martin Luther King invited them to meddle, which is why he repeatedly said,
Latest Articles 2009
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There's always a risk that the politicians will meddle, which is one reason for the Bush Administration to do this now so it can insist on enough political insulation.
sisu 2008
ruzuzu commented on the word meddle
Meddle (1)
A haiku by the American Heritage Dictionary
To intrude into
other people's affairs or
business; interfere.
May 10, 2012
deinonychus commented on the word meddle
yay! dictionary haiku!
May 10, 2012
dontcry commented on the word meddle
beautiful
May 11, 2012