Up and down like a fiddler's elbow.
Up and down like a fiddler's elbow.
Meaning in plain English
The phrase compares repeated movement with a fiddler’s elbow. It gives an up-and-down action a vivid moving image.
Example
A reader recognises the phrase as a description of repeated movement in a scene.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The musician’s motion supplies the comparison without identifying a particular performer or origin. A useful reading describes repetition rather than diagnosing restlessness or anxiety. The supplied psychological suggestion is not evidence about a person’s condition.
When to use it
Use it to explain repeated movement without a psychological inference.
Keep in mind
No diagnosis, cause of movement or historical origin is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 535; PDF page 78
Reuse and collection notes ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · supplied collection
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
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