trifle

trifle
I. noun Etymology: Middle English trufle, trifle, from Anglo-French trufle, triffle fraud, trick, nonsense Date: 14th century 1. something of little value, substance, or importance 2. a dessert typically consisting of plain or sponge cake often soaked with wine or spirits (as brandy or rum) and topped with layers of preserves, custard, and cream II. verb (trifled; trifling) Etymology: Middle English truflen, triflen, from Anglo-French trufler to trick, talk nonsense Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. a. to talk in a jesting or mocking manner or with intent to delude or mislead b. to treat someone or something as unimportant 2. to handle something idly transitive verb to spend or waste in trifling or on trifles • trifler noun Synonyms: trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet mean to deal with or act toward without serious purpose. trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt <
to trifle with a lover's feelings
>
. toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers <
a political novice toying with great issues
>
. dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement <
dallying with the idea of building a boat someday
>
. flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object <
flirted with one fashionable ism after another
>
. coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention <
companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Trifle — Trifle. Ilustraciones realizadas por Isabella Beeton en su libro Mrs Beeton s Book of House …   Wikipedia Español

  • Trifle — ist eine englische Süßspeise, bestehend aus mehreren Schichten aus Custard, Obst oder Marmelade, Biskuitkuchen und Schlagsahne. Der Biskuit wird im Allgemeinen mit Alkohol getränkt (Port, süßen Sherry, Madeira oder auch Weißwein). Das Wort Trifle …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Trifle — Autre nom Créole Lieu d origine Angleterre Place dans le service dessert Température de …   Wikipédia en Français

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trifle — trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet can all mean to deal with a person or thing without seriousness, earnestness, close attention, or purpose. Trifle, the most comprehensive term of the group, may be used interchangeably with any of the others,… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • trifle — [trī′fəl] n. [ME < OFr trufle, mockery, dim. of truffe, deception] 1. something of little value or importance; trivial thing, idea, etc.; paltry matter 2. a small amount of money 3. a small amount or degree; bit 4. esp. in England, a dessert… …   English World dictionary

  • Trifle — Tri fle, v. t. 1. To make of no importance; to treat as a trifle. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To spend in vanity; to fritter away; to waste; as, to trifle away money. We trifle time. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 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,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trifle — [n1] novelty item bagatelle, bauble, bibelot, curio, gewgaw*, knickknack, nothing*, novelty, objet d’art, plaything, toy, trinket, triviality, whatnot*; concept 446 trifle [n2] very small amout bit, dash, diddly*, drop, eyelash*, fly speck*,… …   New thesaurus

  • trifle — ► NOUN 1) a thing of little value or importance. 2) a small amount. 3) Brit. a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream. ► VERB 1) (trifle with) treat without seriousness or respect. 2) archaic ta …   English terms dictionary

  • trifle — index palter, paucity, pettifog, scintilla, technicality Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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