▪ I. trifle, n.
(ˈtraɪf(ə)l)
Forms: α. 3–5 trufle, (3–4 truyfle), 4 trufel, truffle, (trewful), 4–5 truful, 5 -fulle, truffulle, truffille. β. 4 trofle, trofil, 4–5 trofel, (5 trowful). γ. 4 tryffel, 4–5 trifil(e, -ful, (4 tryuol, trefle, 4– 5 -fele), 4–6 tryfel, -fyl, -fle, 4–7 (8 Sc.) triffle, 5 tryfil, trifelle, triffol, 5–6 tryfell(e, 6 -fille, -full(e, -fyll(e, (tryefull), trifill, -fulle, triffelle, triffill(e, 7 triffel, tryffel, -le, 4– trifle.
[ME. trufle, etc., a. OF. trufle (13th c. in Godef.), treufle, truffle (1370), parallel forms of trufe, truffe, ‘moquerie, tromperie’ (1265 in Godef.), = It. truffa, ‘a cozening, cheating, conicatching’ (Florio), Pr., obs. Sp. and Pg. trufa, ‘a gibe, a iesting or ieering’ (Minsheu); of uncertain origin. The phonology of the word in English presents difficulties; but trufle, with ü, would give later tryfle, triffle; and u sometimes varied dialectally with o, as in the ME. trofel. The short ĭ indicated by ff in tryffel, triffol, triffle, appears from the 14th to the 18th c.; but trifle with single f is ambiguous, and does not show when trĭfle became trīfle.
For the ulterior etymology, Diez was inclined to identify F. truffe, trufle with truffe, Pr. trufa (Littré), a truffle, a subterranean edible fungus. But it is app. only in F. (and Prov.) that the two words have the same form, and no connexion of sense has been ascertained: see truffle.]
† 1. A false or idle tale, told (a) to deceive, cheat, or befool, (b) to divert or amuse; a lying story, a fable, a fiction; a jest or joke; a foolish, trivial, or nonsensical saying. Obs.
The shades of sense cannot always be distinguished.
| α a 1225 Ancr. R. 106 Þeos ant oðre trufles þet he bitrufleð monie men mide. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8613 Wanne me sede him of suche wondres..to trufle [v.rr. trifle, tryffel] he it wende. 1340 Ayenb. 58 Þe bourdes and þe trufles uol of uelþe and of leazinges. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 344 Mi Sone, unto the trouthe wende..And lete all othre truffles [v.rr. trifles, triffles] be. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 151 Hit is trufle [v.rr. tryfle, triful, trewful] þat þou tellest. c 1440 York Myst. v. 125 Allas! þat I.. trowed þe trufuls þat þou me saide. Ibid. xxxi. 300 But telle vs nowe some truffillis betwene vs twoo. 1483 Cath. Angl. 395/2 Truffillis, nuge, gerra. |
| β 13.. Cursor M. 253 (Cott.) To wast Þair liif, in trofel and truandis. Ibid. 27623 (Cott. Galba) Of pride cumes..sang of trofils [Cott. truful] or lesing. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 183 Many has lykyng trofels to here. c 1400 Rule St. Benet 1735 Tales of trofils þai sal non tel. |
| γ 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 5031 Þys yche tale ys no tryfyl, For hyt ys wryte yn þe bybyl. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 108 Talkkande bifore þe hyȝe table of trifles ful hende. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 147 It is but a trufle [v.rr. tryfule, truyfle] þat þow tellest. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 442 Iapis & gabbingis or oþere tryuolis. c 1440 Generydes 4664 These are butt triffolys and delayes. 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 617/42 Trufa, a trefele. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 502/2 Tryfle, trufa. c 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 1142, I am yet as full of game As euer I was, and as full of tryfyls [rime nyfyls]. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xv. 67 The Phariseis teache and obserue supersticiously these folysh tryfles. 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 1258 Nifles and trifles; vain tales of Robin Hood; aniles fabulæ. |
2. a. Hence, A matter of little value or importance; ‘a thing of no moment’ (J.); a trivial, paltry, or insignificant affair.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 412/345 Þare-fore mot ech holi man..tuyrne is herte to some truyfle. 1340 Ayenb. 142 Þer treteþ he of his greate quereles hueruore alle oþre niedes him þingþ trufles. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 185 Worldli goodis, fame of þe world, and oþer trifilis. 1513 More Rich. III (1883) 48 Leneth mi lord thi master so muche to such trifles? 1585 Reg. Privy Council Scot. IV. 32 The materis..wer bot triffillis in respect of uthiris of greitar importance. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iii. 322 Trifles light as ayre, Are to the iealious, confirmations strong As proofes of holy Writ. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 33 He's a mighty exact Man about Trifles. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 23 ¶7 There is scarcely any man without some favourite trifle which he values above greater attainments. 1833 H. Martineau Brooke Farm ix. 110 Some trifles went wrong in the cottage. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xxii. 176 A Society journal, dealing..with the trifles of the day. |
b. Without article. rare.
| 1768 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) I. 219 The advantage of virtue over vice and trifle does not lie in the very act, but in the consequences. Ibid. 620 As well in matters of trifle as of moment. |
† c. transf. A worthless person; a trifler. Obs.
| c 1475 Pict. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 806/21 Hic nugigerulus, a trifelle. a 1623 Fletcher Love's Cure iii. iv, Syav. Pray wear these trifles. Clara... You are a trifle, wear your self, sir, out. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics 392 You will look as like a trifle, a knave, or a fool, as one of them; and be as very a mad man. a 1716 South Serm. (1744) XI. 18 It shews him to be a fop, a trifle and a mere picture. |
3. concr. A small article of little intrinsic value; a toy, trinket, bauble, knick-knack.
| 1375 Will of Eliz. Lister (Somerset Ho.), A goun et vnum triffle sȝelf egged. a 1400–50 Alexander 1894 Þe trufils þat ȝe to me sent, Þe herne-pan, þe hand-ball, þe hatt made of twiggis. 1530 Palsgr. 283/1 Tryfell, a knacke, friuolle. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 196 Divers sorts of Linnen-cloth, with innumerable other small trifles. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. 44 To purchase..for Trifles, such as Beads, Toys, Knives, Scissars, Hatchets, Bits of Glass, and the like; not only Gold Dust,..Elephants Teeth, &c. but Negroes. 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Cl.) 148 If you buy a triffle..then they are very civill. 1912 Daily Graphic 31 Dec. 13/2 These elegant trifles [hat-pins] are made in a variety of graceful designs. |
4. A literary work, piece of music, etc., light or trivial in style; a slight or facetious composition; a bagatelle. Often used in meiosis.
| 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 106 If Lucilla reade this trifle, shee will straight proclaime Euphues for a traytour. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl., Disc. Occas. Medit. (1848) 1 The Trifles of this kind, your Commands make me trouble you with. a 1704 T. Brown 1st Sat. Persius 66 Read his trifles, and scarce in one line You'll find him guilty of the least design. 1751 Earl of Orrery Remarks Swift vi. (1752) 47 Poems to Stella, and trifles to Dr. Sheridan, fill up a great part of that period. 1837 Keith Bot. Lex. 2 Anacreon, in one of his little trifles in honour of drinking, makes the very trees of the forest drink. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 47 A little song—A trifle..Which I had writ for Mairi once to sing. |
5. a. A small sum of money, or a sum treated as of no moment; a slight ‘consideration’.
| c 1595 Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 39 The Captaine præsentinge him with a trifle from our Generall, hee [etc.]. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 116 Giving a trifle for oile, about midnight we departed. 1746 Francis tr. Hor. Sat. ii. iii. 214 ‘What will it cost? Nay, hold!’—‘A very trifle.’—‘Sir, I will be told.’—‘Three pence.’ 1762–71 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) II. 157 Some not suiting the places, were brought back, and sold for a trifle after the death of my father. 1818 Scott Let. 30 Apr. in Lockhart Life (1837) IV. iv. 138, I could bet a trifle the doors, &c. will arrive the very day I set out. |
b. An insignificant quantity or amount.
| 1722 De Foe Plague (1884) 132 Here is fifty thousand.., within a Trifle. 1911 Beveridge North Uist. v. 63 Nor can it ever have afforded more than a mere trifle of arable soil. |
c. a trifle (advb.): To a trifling or slight extent; in a small degree, a little; somewhat, rather.
| 1859 Reade Love me Little xi, The bank itself was small and grave and a trifle dingy. 1860 G. Meredith E. Harrington xi, The chairman welcomed them a trifle snubbingly. 1887 Jessopp Arcady vii. 214 Jehu is a trifle below middle height. 1892 Speaker 3 Sept. 291/2 We may inquire, perhaps, if it be not a trifle arrogant. |
6. † a. A dish composed of cream boiled with various ingredients. Obs. b. A light confection of sponge-cake or the like, esp. flavoured with wine or spirit, and served with custard and whipped cream.
| 1598 Florio, Mantiglia, a kinde of clouted creame called a foole or a trifle in English. 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 85/1 Triffel, is Cream boiled with Sugar, Mace and Cinnamon. 1736 Bailey Househ. Dict. 571 To make a Trifle. Boil a quart of cream,..sweeten it,..put to it two spoonfuls of rennet; let it stand till it comes like cheese. 1755 H. Glasse Art of Cookery (ed. 5) xvi. 285 Trifle. Cover..your Dish..with Naples Biscuits..Mackeroons..and Ratafia Cakes..wet them..with Sack, then make a good boiled Custard..pour over it..then put a Syllabub over that. 1781 Cowper Let. 18 Feb., There is some froth, and here and there a bit of sweetmeat, which seems to entitle it justly to the name of a certain dish the ladies call a trifle. 1836–9 Dickens Sk. Boz, Bloomsbury Christening, There were fowls, and tongue, and trifle, and sweets, and lobster salad. 1860 O. W. Holmes Elsie V. vii. (1891) 110 That most wonderful object of domestic art called trifle,..with its charming confusion of cream and cake and almonds and jam and jelly and wine and cinnamon and froth. |
7. Name for a kind of pewter of medium hardness; in pl. also, articles made of this.
| 1610–11 [implied in trifler 3]. 1612–13 in Welch Hist. Pewterers' Co. (1902) II. 61 Att w{supc}{suph} tyme was Syzed by them theis seuerall parcells of Tryffles as followe vizt: Great duble bells w{supt}{suph} peper boxes & baules... The greate beak{supr}..Middle beake{supr}..Smale beake{supr}..The great beere bowle... The large wrought Cupps..[etc.]. 1668–9 Ibid. 140 It is..agreed..that..every person that taketh Hollow-ware of any work⁓man & returneth not him for the same ½ plate mettle and ½ London Trifles, shall pay unto such workman for want of plate mettle after the rate of 3s 6{supd} per Cent and deliver him good London Trifles. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 952 The English tradesmen distinguish three sorts, which they call plate, trifle, and ley pewter; the first and hardest being used for plates and dishes; the second for beer-pots; and the third for larger wine measures. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. 1677/1 To regulate the quality..a button of pure tin weighing 182 grains was employed; a similar button of plate-pewter would weigh 183½ grains; of trifle, 185½ grains; and of ley, 198½ grains. |
8. a. attrib. or as adj. Trifling.
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 170 This is no trumpery tale, nor trifle toy. |
b. Comb., as trifle-bearer, trifle-dish, trifle-monger, trifle-worship; trifle-pewter = sense 7; trifle-ring, ‘a ring having some hidden mechanism or play of parts, as a gimmel-ring, puzzle-ring, or one composed of three or more hoops working on pivots’ (Cent. Dict.).
| 1561 Withers tr. Calvin's Treat. Relics A ij, Certaine *trifle bearers, who..did exercise a most vilainous and filthy kynd of cariyng hyther, and thether reliques of martyrs. |
| 1859 Lang Wand. India 107 The soup..was served up in a *trifle-dish which had formed part of a dessert service belonging to the 9th Lancers. |
| 1819 Hermit in London III. 81 These selfish *trifle-mongers. |
| 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. 1677/1 The *trifle-pewter has, tin 83; antimony 17; with a good deal of lead occasionally. |
| a 1860 J. A. Alexander Gosp. Jesus Christ xv. (1861) 203 The exchange of spiritual life for..factitious morals and a senseless *trifle-worship. |
Hence (nonce-wds.) ˈtrifledom, the realm of trifles; triflet (ˈtraɪflɪt), a small trifle (in sense 4).
| 1895 Daily News 8 Nov. 3/2 A skit upon the Haymarket piece..described..as ‘A Trilby Triflet’. 1903 Westm. Gaz. 22 Sept. 2/3 Twin synonyms of frolic mild,..Are ye from Trifledom exiled? |
▪ II. trifle, v.1
(ˈtraɪf(ə)l)
Forms: (3 bitrufle(n), 4 treoflen, trufly, trofel, -le, trofulle, 5 trufylle, tryfulle, trefele, troufle, tryffle, trifel, -ful, 5–6 tryfle, 6 tryffel, tryfell, -fyll, -ful, trifyll, (7 triffle), 6– trifle.
[ME. a. OF. truffle-r, truiffle-r, parallel form of truffer, trufer, trupher (13th c. in Godef.) to make sport of, deceive, jeer or laugh at, = It. truffare ‘to cozen, to cheate, to coniecatch’ (Florio): cf. truffe, trufle, truffle mockery, cheating: see trifle n.]
† 1. trans. To cheat, delude, befool; to mock. trifle out, to dismiss with mockery. Obs. rare.
| [Cf. a 1225 Bitrufle: see trifle n. 1 a. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 412/323 Wel bi-trufleth he þat folk.] a 1450 Myrc Festial 194 Symon Magvs..trifuld þe pepull to holde hym an holy man. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cc. 237 Than the comons of the cite beganne to saye, howe dothe our bysshop tryfle and mocke vs. 1533 Tindale Supper Lord E ij b, To tryful out y⊇ trouth wyth tauntes and mockes, as More doth. |
2. † a. intr. To say what is untrue, to jest in order to cheat, mock, amuse, or make sport. Obs.
| c 1305 St. Dunstan 74 in E.E.P. (1862) 36 Treoflinge heo smot her and þer. 1340 Ayenb. 214 Naȝt uor to iangli, uor to lheȝȝe, ne uorto trufly. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 48 He was trewe of his feyth & loth for to tryfulle. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 502/2 Tryflon, or iapyn (K. trifelyn,..P. tryfflyn), trufo, ludifico. 1483 Cath. Angl. 395/1 To Trufylle, nugari,..neniari, trufare. 1538 Elyot, Ineptio.., to tryfle. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. i. (1895) 98 The vyle bonde⁓men skoffynge and tryfelynge amonge them selfes. 1573–80 Baret Alv. T. 366 To trifle, to do, or speake a thing vnmeete for the purpose, inepto. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. i. 112, I feare he did but trifle, And meant to wracke thee. |
b. trifle with: To treat with a lack of seriousness or respect; to ‘play’ or dally with.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccix. 712 Sirs, methynke the frenchmen do but tryfell with me, and with the countre of Flaunders. 1530 Palsgr. 562/1, I gest, I bourde or tryfyll with one, je bourde. 1605 Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 34 Why I do trifle thus with his dispaire, Is done to cure it. 1670 Cotton Espernon i. iii. 133 At last the Duke nettled to see himself so pursu'd, and trifled withal by his Enemy, commanded [etc.]. 1769 Junius Lett. xxxv. (1820) 168 This is not a time to trifle with your fortune. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xii, I let him see that I was not to be trifled with. 1852 Mrs. Smythies Bride Elect xliii, He shall not trifle with your affections. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 253 Trifling with what ought to be solemn engagements. |
† c. So trifle it. Obs.
| 1563 Foxe A. & M. 1190/1 Bradford desired my lord Chauncelor not to trifle it, saying that he wondred his honoure woulde make solemne oths (made to God) trifles in that sorte. 1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispach't 577 You have broke the Unity of the former church (and not of the court onely, as you trifle it) which you were in. |
3. intr. To toy, play (with a material object); to handle or finger a thing idly; to fiddle, fidget with.
| c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 287 Put not youre hands in youre hosen..nor pikynge, nor trifelynge ne shrukkynge. 1530 Palsgr. 549/1, I fydell, I tryfle with my handes, je fretille mes mayns. 1618 M. Baret Horsemanship i. 75 If when he standeth..he coueteth to goe backe, or trifle with his body or feete, then [etc.]. 1715 Pope 2nd Ep. Miss Blount 17 O'er cold coffee trifle with the spoon. 1842 Tennyson Will Waterproof xxix, Silent gentlemen, That trifle with the cruet. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. ii, He trifles quite ferociously with his dessert-knife. |
b. trans. To play with. rare.
| 1817 Keats Endym. iv. 210 Young Bacchus stood, Trifling his ivy-dart. |
4. intr. To dally, loiter; to spend time idly or frivolously; to waste time.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2932, I red thowe trette of a trewe, and trofle no lengere. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 114 b, He trifleth and dalieth thus with doubtfull wordes. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 133 Let us now triffle no longer, but view the City. 16.. Evelyn Diary 21 Oct. an. 1632 Whiles I was now trifling at home I saw London. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 153 ¶5 While I was thus trifling in uncertainty. 1856 Olmsted Slave States 91 They must have ‘trifled’ a great deal, or they would have accomplished more than they had. |
† 5. trans. To pass or spend (time) frivolously or idly; to waste (time). Obs. exc. as in b.
| 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 157/2 He still lingered and trifled the time and came not. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 298 We trifle time, I pray thee pursue sentence. 1611 Heywood Gold. Age iv. i. Wks. 1874 III. 66 Wee haue trifled the night till bed-time. 1697 Congreve Mourn. Bride ii. vii, I haue not leisure to reflect, or know, Or trifle time in thinking. 1742 R. Blair Grave 572 Fain would he trifle time with idle talk. |
b. esp. with away, † off, to fritter away idly. † With forth, out, to defer or put off idly.
| 1532 G. Hervet Xenophon's Househ. 59 b, His worke men and laborers.. trifyll away the day. Ibid., His folke..trifle forth the time. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. 305 He a long while trifled out the time. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. iii. 179 Come Lords, we trifle time away. 1657 J. Watts Dipper Sprinkled 86 Trifle away paper with needless repetitions. 1774 Trinket 172 Une affaire de cœur, is at best a silly business, yet mighty necessary to trifle off that trifle, life. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. vi[i], Why do you trifle away time in making a gallows?—that dyester's pole is good enough for the homicide. |
† 6. To make a trifle of; to render trivial or insignificant. Obs. rare—1.
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iv. 4 This sore Night Hath trifled former knowings. |
7. intr. To act (or speak) in an idle or frivolous way, esp. in serious circumstances.
| 1736 Butler Anal. ii. v. Wks. 1874 I. 207 A person rashly trifling upon a precipice. 1779 Mirror No. 60 One of the most important lessons to be learned in life, is that of being able to trifle upon occasion. 1815 Scott Guy M. xviii, I can⁓not help trifling, Matilda, though my heart is sad enough. 1867 A. J. Wilson Vashti xxviii, ‘Oh, Salome! you have trifled.’ ‘No, sir. Take that back. I never stoop to trifling; and the curse of my life has been my almost fatal earnestness of purpose’. |
8. trans. To utter or pass in a trifling manner.
| 1822 Lamb Elia Ser. i. Old Actors, She used him for her sport..to trifle a leisure sentence or two with. 1825 C. M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 226 Trifles a little badinage. |
▪ III. ˈtrifle, v.2 dial.
[Eng. Dial. Dict. suggests deriv. from OE. trifulian, tribulian, ᵹetrifulian, ad. L. trībulāre to thresh, bruise, pound, grind, f. trībulum threshing-sledge; this seems probable, though no examples are known between the 11th and 17th c., and the sense is not exactly identical.]
trans. To beat or trample down (standing corn or grass).
| [c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 114/26 Pilurus, uel pistor, se þe pilaþ, uel tribulaþ.] c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 150/3 Eft withier rinde ᵹebærn to ahsan do eced to trifula swiðe. Ibid. 186/10 Menge eall togædere & trifoliᵹe. c 1050 Gloss. in Wr.-Wülcker 423/25 In tritura, in trifelunge. 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 54 A mower..may mowe (with as much ease) amongst ranke barley as other, if it stande streight, and bee not trifled, neyther with the winde, nor with cattle-feete. 1846 Brockett N.C. Words (ed. 3), Trifled-corn, corn that has fallen down, in single ears, mixed with standing corn. 1893–4 Northumbld. Gloss., Trifled, beaten down with wind or rain; applied to grass or grain. |