doddle

American  

[dod-l] / ˈdɒd l /

noun

Chiefly British Informal.

1. something easily done, fixed, etc..

   He was really worried about my finishing the fence repairs on my own, but it was a doddle.

---

doddle British  

/ ˈdɒdəl /

noun

1. informal something easily accomplished

---

Etymology

Origin of doddle

First recorded in 1935–40; of uncertain origin, perhaps from toddle ( def. )

Explanation

The word doddle describes a task that's so easy, it hardly feels like work. It's the kind of thing you can do without even thinking, like hanging up your coat or pouring a glass of water. The noun doddle has its roots in 20th-century British slang. If someone says something is a doddle, they're telling you it will require very little effort. A doddle typically involves no stress and no hassle because it is just a quick and simple job. The term is often used to express how effortlessly a task can be completed, making it a handy word for those moments when something is almost too easy.

Example Sentences

Doddle currently has 35 outlets and has already diversified into university campuses and shopping centres.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2015

Doddle found the product was successful in big urban railway stations, with a combination of daily commuters in the morning and evening and people who lived near the stations.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2015

Doddle now wants to recruit people to use their own homes as pick-up points for internet shopping.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2015

The master did not look surprised this time, but he took Doddle by the shoulder, and drawing him towards his chair, looked earnestly into his face.

From The Gorilla Hunters by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

We never discovered what took place there between them, for neither threats nor coaxing could induce Doddle afterwards to speak on the subject; but from that day forward he was a changed boy.

From The Gorilla Hunters by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)