twiddle with

twiddle with (someone)

To play with something in one's hands idly, especially by turning it over or around repeatedly; to fiddle with something. She has this annoying habit of twiddling with her necklace whenever she's speaking. Stop twiddling with that cathode, or you'll end up breaking it!
See also: twiddle
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

twiddle with something

to play with something; to play with something, using one's fingers; to fiddle with something. I asked Jason to stop twiddling with the pencils. Someone is twiddling with the stereo controls.
See also: twiddle
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • a fast talker
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a horse of another
  • a horse of another color
  • a horse of another colour
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • all right
  • (you) wanna make something of it?
References in classic literature
Such is the force of habit, that even in the midst of his terror he began mechanically to twiddle with his hair, and arrange the cock of his hat.
Vanity Fair
A Lots of people twiddle with their hair but Trichotillomania is when you pull out the hairs strand by strand.
vital: ask the Doc; Craig Lennox Our GP expert will answer your questions every week
Twiddle with a purpose; visit origami.as and learn the ancient Chinese art of origami with a master, Joseph Wu.
WEB LIFE
Tomorrow he jets to the Caribbean to shake hands, stare at dancers, eat dinners, twiddle with his cuff-links and play golf.
BRIAN READE'S COLUMN: Andrew slopes off