different between noodle vs duffer

English

Etymology

Its early plural form noodlejees suggests a Dutch origin; from Dutch noedel (“noodle”), from German Nudel (“piece of pasta, noodle”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from an alteration of German Knödel (“dumpling”), from German Knoten (“knot”) or from Latin minutulus (“very small, tiny”) in the sense of "to chop (food) into small pieces" or Latin nodulus (“little knot”). The senses "fool" and "brain, head" are probably unrelated.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nu?dl?/
• Rhymes: -u?d?l

Noun

noodle (plural noodles)

1. (usually in the plural) a string or strip of pasta

2. (colloquial, dated) a person with poor judgement; a fool
   • 1839, Sydney Smith, The Works of Sydney Smith : Preface

     the chuckling grin of noodles

   • 1854, Charles Dickens, Hard Times

     If that portrait could speak, sir — but it has the advantage over the original of not possessing the power of committing itself and disgusting others, — it would testify, that a long period has elapsed since I first habitually addressed it as the picture of a noodle.

3. (colloquial) the brain, the head
4. (colloquial) a pool noodle

Usage notes

In British English, noodle is chiefly used to describe Asian-style products comprising long, thin strands of dough. In American English, noodle can also refer to a range of European-style products which in British English would only be referred to as pasta.

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:noodle.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• pasta
• noddle
• Thesaurus:noodle

Verb

noodle (third-person singular simple present noodles, present participle noodling, simple past and past participle noodled)

1. To think or ponder.

2. To fiddle, play with, or mess around.

3. To improvise music.
4. (fishing) To fish (usually for very large catfish) without any equipment other than the fisherman's own body

6. (Australia) To fossick, especially for opals.
   • 1989, Association for Industrial Archaeology, Industrial archaeology review, Volume 12,

     On the Olympic Field the tour-group is permitted to ‘noodle’ (hunt for opals) on the waste or mullock heaps ...

   • 2006, Marele Day, Susan Bradley Smith, Fay Knight (editors), Making Waves: 10 Years of the Byron Bay Writers Festival ,

     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.

Synonyms

• (fishing): guddle

Derived terms

• noodler

References

Anagrams

• Old One

Spanish

Noun

noodle m (plural noodles)

1. noodle (food)

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d?f?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d?f?/
• Rhymes: -?f?(?)

Adjective

duffer

1. comparative form of duff: more duff

Noun

duffer (plural duffers)

1. (informal) An incompetent or clumsy person.
2. (sports) A player having little skill, especially a golfer who duffs.
3. (archaic) A pedlar or hawker, especially one selling cheap or substandard goods.
4. (archaic) Cheap or substandard goods sold by a duffer.
5. A cow that does not produce milk.
   • 1908, Proceedings of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Volume 8, page 116,

     We have some good cows in this State, but, unfortunately, we have too many duffer cows that are not only being fed and milked at a loss hut are eating up a portion of the profit of the good cow which is being milked alongside them.

   • 1934, Victorian Department of Agriculture, Journal of Agriculture, Volume 32, page 293,

     The truth is that cattlemen love a typical cow for her beauty and symmetry of form ; but every herd-testing dairyman knows that an ugly animal may be a good producer, while many a beautiful cow is a duffer.

6. (Australia, dated) A cattle thief or thief of other livestock; one who alters the brands of cattle.
   • 2011, Clancy Tucker, Gunnedah Hero, unnumbered page,

     The cattle duffer?s escape would have been impeded by those young ones. Calves can be unruly unless you move them carefully in the company of their mothers.
7. A racing pigeon that does not perform well.
8. (entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Discophora.

Synonyms

• (incompetent person): see Thesaurus:unskilled person
• (livestock thief): see Thesaurus:rustler

Translations

Anagrams

• ruffed