Fiddle While Rome Burns

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Fiddle While Rome Burns

To do nothing or engage you in trivial things knowing that something urgent and critical is happening around

Etymology:

This expression has great association with legend Emperor Nero in A.D.64, who stood on a great tower and was found busy playing his lyre “fiddle” while he was watching his city Rome sweltering. It is not known whether the story is true or fallacious but it gave rise to this expression or idiom that simply suggests the behavior of anyone who is well aware of the crisis but doesn’t take any step.

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Price hike has made lives of poor worse, people rightly claims that the government is fiddling while Rome burns.

Collection Edit

Submitted on February 25, 2019

Additional definitions for 'Fiddle While Rome Burns':

fiddle while Rome burns	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.

fiddle while Rome burns

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.

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to Fiddle While Rome Burns

Play Second Fiddle play first fiddle all the while get out while the getting's good Money Burns a Hole in Your Pocket fiddle around even a blind pig can find an acorn once…fiddle about fiddle away fit as a fiddle fiddle faddle in a while crocodile play second fiddle get out while the getting's good

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Alex
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British
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British
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British
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Australian
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Australian
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Indian
Priya
Indian
Neerja
Indian
Zira
US English
Oliver
British
Wendy
British
Fred
US English
Tessa
South African

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"Fiddle While Rome Burns." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/fiddle-while-rome-burns_44657>.

Fiddle While Rome Burns

Etymology:

Additional definitions for 'Fiddle While Rome Burns':

Translation

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Nearby phrases

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How to pronounce this phrase?

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