noodle
noodle — noun
1. a food made of flour, water, and eggs that is formed into long, thin strips, coo
a food made of flour, water, and eggs that is formed into long, thin strips, cooked briefly in hot liquid, and then served in soups, stir-fries, or with sauce
Samir stirred the noodles into the boiling water and set a timer for four minutes.
cooking action: stir noodles into boiling water
Layla served the chicken noodles in a large white bowl with spring onions on top.
countable plural form with descriptive object
Hao learned to make fresh egg noodles from his grandmother during the summer holiday.
The shop at the corner sells the best noodle soup in the whole neighbourhood.
Constanza ordered a plate of rice noodles with vegetables and tofu for lunch.
- pasta
broader category; in Italian contexts 'pasta' replaces 'noodle' entirely
- vermicelli
refers specifically to very thin noodles, not the general category
文法句型
noodle(s) as the main ingredient
noodle + noun (noodle soup, noodle dish)
用法筆記
When referring to the food itself, 'noodle' is almost always used in the plural form ('noodles'). The singular form appears mainly in compound nouns ('noodle soup', 'noodle dish').
常見錯誤
2. any shape of pasta, not only the long, thin kind — used especially in American E
any shape of pasta, not only the long, thin kind — used especially in American English to refer to pasta in general
Ilan prefers shell-shaped noodles for baked pasta dishes because they hold more cheese.
broader sense: shell-shaped noodles (pasta shells)
Rachel bought three different noodle shapes for the salad — spirals, bows, and tubes.
Asher asked whether macaroni counted as a noodle or belonged in a separate food category.
Kenji found that bow-tie noodles worked best for the cold pasta salad he wanted.
- pasta
more standard term for the general category; 'noodle' in this sense is informal/regional
文法句型
noodle shapes
noodle as a synonym for pasta
用法筆記
This broader meaning is most common in American English. In British English and in Asian cooking contexts, 'noodle' almost always refers to long, thin strips (Sense 1).
3. a person's head or brain, especially when referring to thinking ability or intel
a person's head or brain, especially when referring to thinking ability or intelligence — used humorously or informally
Chidi tapped his noodle and finally remembered where he left the car keys.
possessive + noodle (his noodle)
Anong could not get the maths problem into her noodle however hard she tried.
Aisha gave her noodle a workout and cracked the puzzle in five minutes.
Sajid laughed and said the answer was right in his noodle the whole time.
文法句型
possessive + noodle (my/his/your noodle)
用法筆記
Always informal and often humorous or self-deprecating. Avoid in formal writing. The most common fixed expression is 'use your noodle' (see idiom below).
常見錯誤
4. a long, light, floating cylinder made of foam that swimmers hold onto or rest th
a long, light, floating cylinder made of foam that swimmers hold onto or rest their arms on for support in the water, commonly called a pool noodle
Eliska grabbed her pool noodle and jumped into the deep end without hesitation.
compound noun: pool noodle
The children spent the afternoon racing each other while sitting on their pool noodles.
Yael cut the foam noodle into shorter pieces to make floating targets for swim class.
Valentina used a pool noodle to practise her arm strokes while staying afloat.
- swim float
generic term for any floating aid; less specific than 'pool noodle'
- water log
much less common synonym
文法句型
pool noodle + [verb]
use a pool noodle
用法筆記
Almost always called a 'pool noodle' rather than just 'noodle' on its own. The item is made from buoyant polyethylene foam and comes in bright colours.
5. an informal, relaxed session of playing a musical instrument without following w
an informal, relaxed session of playing a musical instrument without following written music or a fixed plan
Élise enjoyed a quiet noodle on her acoustic guitar while sitting on the porch.
structure: have a noodle on [instrument]
The pianist's ten-minute noodle at the end of the rehearsal surprised everyone with its beauty.
Mauricio recorded his noodle on the bass and later turned it into a full song.
Femi likes an early-morning noodle on the piano before anyone else wakes up.
- jam session
refers to group improvisation, not solo noodling
- improv
shorter and more general; can refer to any art form, not just music
文法句型
a noodle on [instrument]
have a noodle
用法筆記
This sense is very informal and most common among musicians. The related verb form (Verb Sense 2) is used more frequently than the noun.
noodle — verb
1. to engage with a task, idea, or subject in a casual, unhurried way, without conc
to engage with a task, idea, or subject in a casual, unhurried way, without concentrating fully or pursuing a fixed result
Andrei spent the afternoon noodling around on the internet instead of doing his homework.
phrasal pattern: noodle around + on [something]
Nikhil noodled on the proposal for weeks without ever sending it to the client.
pattern: noodle on [something]
Harper likes to noodle over ideas while walking her dog in the park.
Lakshmi noodled over the colour scheme for weeks before choosing a simple palette.
- mess around
more casual and can imply wasting time; 'noodle' is gentler
- tinker with
more concrete; usually about physical objects or machines
- fiddle with
implies small, restless movements; 'noodle' is more mental
- focus on
implies serious, directed attention — the opposite of unfocused noodling
文法句型
noodle around (no object)
noodle + on/over + [something]
用法筆記
Frequently paired with 'around' (noodle around) or 'on/over' (noodle on/over something). The object is usually an idea, a problem, a design, or a casual activity — never a serious, time-sensitive task.
2. to make up music as you play an instrument, exploring sounds and melodies in a r
to make up music as you play an instrument, exploring sounds and melodies in a relaxed, unstructured way without written notes
Tyler sat at the piano and noodled for half an hour before his practice routine.
noodle without an object: generic informal playing
Alessia and Brandon noodled on their saxophones together until well past midnight.
pattern: noodle on [instrument], plural subject
The bass player noodled quietly in the corner while the singer tuned her guitar.
Nora likes to noodle on her ukulele while waiting for the bus after school.
文法句型
noodle (no object)
noodle + on + [instrument]
用法筆記
Often used without an object ('She spent the evening noodling'). When the instrument is mentioned, use 'on' ('noodle on the guitar'). This sense is distinct from a formal 'jam session' because it is solitary or casual rather than structured group improvisation.