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trifle |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Trifle \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 From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Trifle \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 From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Trifle \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. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: trifle n 1: jam-spread sponge cake soaked in wine served with custard sauce 2: a detail that is considered insignificant [syn: {technicality}, {triviality}] 3: something of small importance [syn: {trivia}, {triviality}, {small beer}] v 1: waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently [syn: {piddle}, {wanton}, {wanton away}, {piddle away}] 2: act frivolously [syn: {frivol}] 3: consider not very seriously; "He is trifiling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" [syn: {dally}, {play}]
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