fiddle while Rome burns

Speech parts

1. fiddle while Rome burns - Verb

2. fiddle while Rome burns - Phrase

Meaning

fiddle while Rome burns (third-person singular simple present fiddles while Rome burns, present participle fiddling while Rome burns, simple past and past participle fiddled while Rome burned or fiddled while Rome burnt)

(idiomatic) To neglect helping when one’s time is needed most; to ignore the major problem at hand (whilst doing something less important); to be idle, inactive, or uninterested in a time of great need.

Source: en.wiktionary.org

Synonyms

sit on one's hands sit on one's thumbs

Words in the phrase

fiddle while Rome burns

Close letter words and terms

fiddle block fiddle music fiddle the books fiddle with fiddle with a bad situation fiddle with a complication