fid|dly /f I dəli/ (fiddlier , fiddliest ) ADJ [oft ADJ to-inf] Something that is fiddly is difficult to do or use because it involves small or complicated objects. [BRIT ] □ It was a time-consuming and fiddly job. □ Fish can be fiddly to cook.
fi|del|ity /f I de l I ti/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Fidelity is loyalty to a person, organization, or set of beliefs. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] I had to promise fidelity to the Queen.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Fidelity is being loyal to your husband, wife, or partner by not having a sexual relationship with anyone else. □ Wanting fidelity implies you're thinking about a major relationship.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [with poss] The fidelity of something such as a report or translation is the degree to which it is accurate. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the fidelity of these early documents.
fidg|et /f I dʒ I t/ (fidgets , fidgeting , fidgeted )
1 VERB If you fidget , you keep moving your hands or feet slightly or changing your position slightly, for example because you are nervous, bored, or excited. □ [V ] Brenda fidgeted in her seat. ● PHRASAL VERB Fidget around and fidget about mean the same as fidget . □ [V P ] There were two new arrivals, fidgeting around, waiting to ask questions.
2 VERB If you fidget with something, you keep moving it or touching it with your fingers with small movements, for example because you are nervous or bored. □ [V + with ] He fidgeted with his tie.
fidg|ety /f I dʒ I ti/ ADJ Someone who is fidgety keeps fidgeting, for example because they are nervous or bored.
fi|du|ci|ary /f I duː ʃiəri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Fiduciary is used to talk about things which relate to a trust, or to the people who are in charge of a trust. [LEGAL ] □ They have a case against their directors for breach of fiduciary duty.
fief /fiː f/ (fiefs ) N‑COUNT In former times, a fief was a piece of land given to someone by their lord, to whom they had a duty to provide particular services in return.
field ◆◆◇ /fiː ld/ (fields , fielding , fielded )
1 N‑COUNT A field is an area of grass, for example in a park or on a farm. A field is also an area of land on which a crop is grown. □ [+ of ] …a field of wheat. □ They went for walks together in the fields.
2 N‑COUNT A sports field is an area of grass where sports are played. □ …a football field. □ The player was helped from the field with ankle injuries.
3 N‑COUNT A field is an area of land or sea bed under which large amounts of a particular mineral have been found. □ …an extensive natural gas field in Alaska.
4 N‑COUNT A magnetic, gravitational, or electric field is the area in which that particular force is strong enough to have an effect. □ Electromagnetic fields from electric power lines might increase the risk of cancer.
5 N‑COUNT A particular field is a particular subject of study or type of activity. □ [+ of ] Exciting artistic breakthroughs have recently occurred in the fields of painting, sculpture and architecture. □ She is said to be one of the leading experts in her field.
6 N‑COUNT A field is an area of a computer's memory or a program where data can be entered, edited, or stored. [COMPUTING ] □ Put your postcode into the website search field to find local support services.
7 N‑COUNT You can refer to the area where fighting or other military action in a war takes place as the field or the field of battle . □ [+ of ] We never defeated them on the field of battle. □ …the need for politicians to leave day-to-day decisions to commanders in the field.
8 N‑COUNT Your field of vision or your visual field is the area that you can see without turning your head. □ Our field of vision is surprisingly wide.
9 N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb, usu sing] The field is a way of referring to all the competitors taking part in a particular race or sports contest. □ Going into the fourth lap, the two most broadly experienced riders led the field.
10 ADJ [ADJ n] You use field to describe work or study that is done in a real, natural environment rather than in a theoretical way or in controlled conditions. □ I also conducted a field study among the boys about their attitude to relationships. □ Our teachers took us on field trips to observe plants and animals, firsthand.
11 VERB [usu cont] In a game of cricket, baseball, or rounders, the team that is fielding is trying to catch the ball, while the other team is trying to hit it. □ [V ] When we are fielding, the umpires keep looking at the ball. [Also V n]
12 VERB If you say that someone fields a question, you mean that they answer it or deal with it, usually successfully. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] He was later shown on television, fielding questions.
13 VERB If a sports team fields a particular number or type of players, the players are chosen to play for the team on a particular occasion. □ [V n] England intend fielding their strongest team in next month's World Youth Championship.
14 VERB If a candidate in an election is representing a political party, you can say that the party is fielding that candidate. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] The new party aims to field candidates in elections scheduled for next year.
15 → see also coalfield , minefield , playing field , snowfield
16 PHRASE If someone is having a field day , they are very busy doing something that they enjoy, even though it may be hurtful for other people. □ In our absence the office gossips are probably having a field day.