[‘ /intr./ To dawdle aimlessly; to idle time away. Also with about, on.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmuːdl/, U.S. /ˈmud(ə)l/
Etymology:Origin uncertain; perhaps a blend of mooch v. and noodle v.1), apparently originally used by G. B. Shaw).
/intr./ To dawdle aimlessly; to idle time away. Also with about, on.
1893 G. B. Shaw 8 Mar. in /Music London 1890–4/ (1932) II. 260 The literary man..hardly able to believe that the conductor can be serious in keeping the band moodling on for forty-five mortal minutes before the singers get to business.
1921 G. B. Shaw /Back to Methuselah/ v. 223 That old one who saw you out of your shell has gone off to moodle about doing nothing.
1928 G. B. Shaw /Intell. Woman’s Guide Socialism/ lxix. 328 Napoleon often moodled about for a week at a time doing nothing but play with his children.
1938 B. Ueland /If you want to Write/ v. 40 That is why you must not just moodle forever.
1991 /Christian Sci. Monitor/ (Nexis) 26 Sept. 16, I am not rushed. I have time to think, time to write, time to ‘moodle’.