Definitions for: Trifle


[n] something of small importance
[n] a detail that is considered insignificant
[n] jam-spread sponge cake soaked in wine served with custard sauce
[v] consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"
[v] act frivolously
[v] waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently



Webster (1913) Definition: Tri"fle, n. [OE. trifle, trufle, OF. trufle mockery,
raillery, trifle, probably the same word as F. truffe
truffle, the word being applied to any small or worthless
object. See Truffle.]
1. A thing of very little value or importance; a paltry, or
trivial, affair.

With such poor trifles playing. --Drayton.

Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmation
strong As proofs of holy writ. --Shak.

Small sands the mountain, moments make year, And
frifles life. --Young.

2. A dish composed of sweetmeats, fruits, cake, wine, etc.,
with syllabub poured over it.


Tri"fle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Trifled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Trifling.] [OE. trifelen, truflen. See Trifle, n.]
To act or talk without seriousness, gravity, weight, or
dignity; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or
trivial amusements.

They trifle, and they beat the air about nothing which
toucheth us. --Hooker.

To trifle with, to play the fool with; to treat without
respect or seriousness; to mock; as, to trifle with one's
feelings, or with sacred things.


Tri"fle, v. t.
1. To make of no importance; to treat as a trifle. [Obs.]
--Shak.

2. To spend in vanity; to fritter away; to waste; as, to
trifle away money. ``We trifle time.'' --Shak.

Synonyms: dally, frivol, piddle, piddle away, play, small beer, technicality, trivia, triviality, triviality, wanton, wanton away

See Also: act, behave, consider, deal, dessert, detail, do, item, look at, pass, point, spend, stuff, sundries, sundry, take, tipsy cake, whatchamacallit, whatsis

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