English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Fiddle while Rome burns
Meaning
The idiom "fiddle while Rome burns" means to act or focus on something trivial or unimportant while a much bigger and more significant problem is happening. It implies that the person is ignoring the real issue and instead engaging in meaningless activities.
Usage
- While my colleagues were busy working on their reports, I fiddled with my phone, completely oblivious to the impending deadline.
- The manager was upset when she found out that her team had been "fiddling while Rome burns" by not completing their assigned tasks on time.
- During the crisis meeting, it became clear that some of the executives were fiddling with their own interests rather than addressing the company's issues.
- The protesters continued to "fiddle around" with their slogans and banners while the police used excessive force against them.
- Some people criticized the government for fiddling with the tax laws while the cost of living was rising rapidly.
Roots and History
The idiom "fiddle while Rome burns" dates back to ancient times, where it was used to describe a person's behavior during important events or conflicts. The phrase is believed to have originated from the story of Nero, who reportedly played his lyre while his home city, Rome, burned down. However, this version of the story has been disputed, and there are other possible sources for the idiom's origins. Over time, the usage of the idiom has evolved to include a wider range of situations, but its meaning remains the same - acting on something unimportant or trivial while a larger problem is happening.
Synonyms in English
- Play around with
- Dilly-dally
- Procrastinate
- Focus on minor issues
- Ignore the bigger picture
Synonyms in other languages
- French - "Faire du mal à la vie" (to treat life badly)
- Spanish - "Ejemplar el arte de no hacer nada" (to exemplify the art of doing nothing)
- Italian - "Sfogare i tempi" (to waste time)
- German - "Zeig' mal auf, verweile dir und ziehe es langsam voran" (don't do anything quickly, linger and drag it out)
- Russian - "Не выделять силы на важные дела" (not to allocate energy to important matters)