noodle

noun

1. (plural-normally)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.

   “She slurped a long noodle up out of her soup.”

   “She is cooking noodles for dinner.”

   “He settled for the noodles and then after watching The Jungle Book twice on video it was time for beddy-bys.”

   “One brought two boxes of instant mami noodles.”

2. (broadly)An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1).
3. (abbreviation, alt-of, broadly, ellipsis, informal)An object which is long and thin like a noodle (sense 1).
4. (archaic)A dumpling cooked by boiling and served in soup; a knaidel or knödel.
5. (slang)The penis.
6. (slang)A long and slender dragon, usually an eastern dragon.
7. (Internet, endearing, humorous)A borzoi dog.
8. (dated, informal)A person with poor judgment; a fool.

   “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:[…]."”

   “You vvrong me, noodle (boxes his ears). Novv then to the point.”

   “[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.”

   “[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.”

   “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.”

9. (informal, slang)The brain; the head.

   “[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.”

10. (informal)An improvised passage of music played on an instrument; also, a series of ornamental notes played on an instrument; a trill.

verb

1. (informal, obsolete, transitive)To fool or trick (someone).
2. (British, dialectal, informal, intransitive)To engage in frivolous behavior; to fool around or waste time.
3. (Shetland, ambitransitive, informal)To hum or sing (a tune) at a low pitch or volume.
4. (informal, transitive)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.
5. (US, informal, transitive)To ponder or think about (something).

   ““Noodle that thought around for a while,” said Dr. Johnson to his Biblical Interpretations class.”

6. (informal, intransitive)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.

   “He has been noodling with that trumpet all afternoon, and every bit of it sounds awful.”

   “[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, […]”

   “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.”

7. (US, informal, intransitive)To ponder or think, especially in an unproductive or unsystematic manner; to muse.

   “He noodled over the problem for a day or two before making a decision.”

8. (US, informal, intransitive)To attempt in an informal or uncertain manner; to fiddle.

   “If the machine is really broken, noodling with the knobs is not going to fix it.”

9. (US, informal, intransitive)Often followed by about or around: to mess around, to play.
10. (Australia, informal, transitive)To search (mullock (“mining or ore processing waste”)) for opals.
11. (Australia, informal, transitive)To obtain (an opal) by searching through mullock.
12. (Australia, also, figuratively, informal, transitive)To clear extraneous material from (an opal).
13. (Australia, informal, intransitive)To search mullock for opals; to fossick.

    “On the Olympic Field the tour-group is permitted to ‘noodle’ (hunt for opals) on the waste or mullock heaps […]”

    “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.”

    “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.”

14. (Australia, informal, transitive)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.

    “Fred had several lacerations on his hands from noodling flathead in the river.”