Fangle

/ˈfæŋɡəl/ verb

Definition

To fidget with something; to handle or manipulate in a careless or ineffective way; to tinker.

Etymology

From Middle English and Scandinavian origins (related to Old Norse tangla meaning 'to entangle'), this word survives mainly in the phrase 'newfangled,' where it means 'made or invented.'

Kelly Says

'Newfangled' is one of the few places you see 'fangle' survive in modern English—people have been complaining about new inventions and calling them newfangled for over 400 years, making it the original 'kids these days' complaint.

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