trifler
(ˈtraɪflə(r))
Forms: (4 troiflard), triffler(e, -our, triflere, 4–6 trifeler, 4–7 tryfler, 5 trufeler, truffilere, tryfflare, tryfelare, -fulere, -fuller, (-pheler), trifulere, 6 tryfelar, -fullar, 6–7 triffel(l)er, tryf(f)eler, 6– trifler.
[a. OF. trufleor, -eour, -eur, nom. trufflere (beside trufeor, truffeur, etc., all 13th c.) liar, cheat, trifler, agent-n. from truffer, truffler: see trifle v.1 and -er2. Also with other suffixes: see -er1.]
One who trifles.
1. A teller of feigned or idle stories, one not to be believed or taken seriously; a jester, a joker; a nonsensical speaker; a worthless fellow.
| 1382 Wyclif Wisd. ii. 16 As trifleres [1388 triffleris, marg. trifeleris; that is, men of no vertu; L. nugaces] wee ben eymed of hym. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 475 Telle More of þise tryflers hou trechurly þei libbeþ? Ibid. 742 Y miȝt tymen þo troiflardes to toilen wiþ þe erþe, Tylyen & trewliche lyven & her flech tempren! 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 118 Þe tale of a trifflour. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 685 Tregetours, tryphelers, feyners of tales. c 1425 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 651/11 Hic nugator, trifulere. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 502/2 Tryfelar.., trufator, nugax. 1483 Cath. Angl. 395/1 A Trufeler (A. Truffilere), gerro,..nugifer, nugigerulus. 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 77 Thys felowe is a tryfullar, leude, of no truste, or reputacion. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Ii v, Gamners and trifelers, and such other iuglers. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 399 Then Poggius the babbler, the trifler, the railer. |
2. One who is not serious or earnest in what he does; one who wastes his time on trivialities; a frivolous person.
| 1607–12 Bacon Ess., Beauty (Arb.) 210 A man cannot tell whether Appelles or Albert Durere were the more trifler. 1710 Palmer Proverbs 244 Many a one will prove but a trifler in Latin or Greek, who in his mother-tongue might have appear'd to advantage. 1756 Johnson in W. Payne Game of Draughts Ded., Triflers may find or make any thing a trifle. 1781 Cowper Charity 355 The solemn trifler with his boasted skill. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxxiii, At present, I have no leisure for the disputes of triflers. 1833 Macaulay Ess., War Succession Spain (1887) 280 Harley, we believe, was a solemn trifler,—St. John a brilliant knave. 1872 Morley Voltaire i. (1886) 4 Erudition figures him as shallow and a trifler. |
3. One who works in the kind of pewter called ‘trifle’ (see trifle n. 7).
| 1610–11 in Welch Hist. Pewterers' Co. (1902) II. 56 It was ordered..that..the tryflers shall have for ther ware as they do delyver to the company..mettall and money and vppon the complaynt of any of those tryflers w{supc}{suph} ar not so payed it is ordered that they shall have x d. a pound for ther mettall and also to be fynd. 1612–13 Ibid. 61 A meeteinge..of certen tryffeleres for the Syzeinge of wares. 1614–15 Ibid. 68 Triffelers. |