Citations:noodle

English citations of noodle

noodle (plural noodles) (informal)

				1720 1796	1854
ME «	15th c.	16th c.	17th c.	18th c.	19th c.	20th c.	21st c.

(dated) A person with poor judgment; a fool.
- 1796 March 25 (first performance), J[ames] C. Cross, “The Village Doctor, a Burletta. […]”, in Parnassian Bagatelles: Being a Miscellaneous Collection of Poetical Attempts. […], London: […] Burton and Co. […]; published by Bellamy, […], →OCLC, page 140:
  You vvrong me, noodle (boxes his ears). Novv then to the point.
- 1854, Charles Dickens, “Final”, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, book the third (Garnering), page 349:
  If that portrait could speak, sir,— […] it would testify, that a long period has elapsed since I first habitually addressed it as the picture of a Noodle. Nothing that a Noodle does, can awaken surprise or indignation; the proceedings of a Noodle can only inspire contempt.
(slang) The brain; the head.
- 2006, Mark Victor Hansen, Art Linkletter, “Mind or Are You ‘Sageing’ or Aging?”, in How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 172:
  [W]hat appears to at first glance to be a thinking problem can be a problem with sight or hearing. […] There's nothing wrong with your noodle; it's your sensory equipment that needs a bit of help. Learn to compensate.