meddle

med·dle (med′'l)

intransitive verb -·dled, -·dling

to concern oneself with or take part in other people's affairs without being asked or needed; interfere (in or with)
to tamper (with)
Obsolete to mingle; combine

Etymology: ME medlen < OFr medler, mesler (Fr mêler), to mix, hence “mix in,” meddle < VL *misculare < L miscere, to mix

transitive verb

Obsolete to mix; mingle

med′·dler noun

To interfere in others' affairs
intermeddle, interpose, interfere, obtrude, interlope, intervene, pry, snoop, impose oneself, infringe, break in upon, advance upon, make it one's business, abuse one's rights, push in, chime in, force an entrance, encroach, intrude, be officious, obstruct, impede, hinder, encumber, busy oneself with, come uninvited, tamper with, inquire, be curious, stick one's nose in*, crash the gates*, monkey with*, bust in*, muscle in*, barge in*, worm in*, have a finger in*, fool with*, butt in*, horn in*; see also interrupt 2.
Antonyms neglect*, ignore*, let alone.
To handle others' things
tamper, molest, pry, fool with, trespass, snoop, nose, dabble in, use improperly, monkey with*.

Object

kid: And I would have got away with it too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids.
politician: Every time someone or some group stands up to the bullying managements and meddling politicians, we feel a warm glow inside.
wi: This is the motto of Scotland and can be translated as ` Wha daur meddle wi ` me ` in Scots.

Preposition: with

nature: James thinks meddling with nature will turn out badly in the end.
thing: Or are scientists playing God and meddling with things beyond their control?
time: The thing about meddling with time is that one moment something is real, the next, it's been erased.
politics: IRC operators do not meddle with channel politics - that's the job of channel operators.

Followed by an intransitive particle

around: I think she should have stayed at home with her family instead of meddling around with men's affairs.

Modifying Another Word

never: But he never meddled at all; just slid the lid along as soft as mush, and screwed it down tight and fast.
not: Tony Blair should focus on delivering for wildlife not meddling with English Nature.
n't: Do n't meddle with things you don't understand.
much: But he is spending too much, wasting too much, taxing too much, regulating too much and interfering and meddling too much.
constantly: Even at the height of the war with Sweden in the 1710s he meddled constantly in details of the plans.
again: I telled her she weren't to meddle again in aught that concerned yo ' .

Preposition: in

affair: He would embark on meddling in Indian local affairs to a level unprecendented by any former European power.
matter: Or that government has no business meddling in these matters.
people: Meddling in people 's affairs and in the Philippines, Cuba, wherever we've meddling.
thing: God preserve us from scientists and civil servants meddling in things they have very little practical knowledge.
process: Labor so often fail as many of their politicians meddle in processes which they don't understand, which often cause extreme problems.
detail: Even at the height of the war with Sweden in the 1710s he meddled constantly in details of the plans.

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