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n. 1. a. Something of little importance or value. b. A small amount; a jot. 2. A dessert typically consisting of plain or sponge cake soaked in sherry, rum, or brandy and topped with layers of jam or jelly, custard, and whipped cream. 3. a. A moderately hard variety of pewter. b. trifles Utensils made from this variety of pewter. v. tri·fled, tri·fling, tri·fles v.intr. 1. To treat flippantly or without seriousness; play or toy: Don't trifle with my affections. See Synonyms at flirt. 2. Archaic To act or speak with little seriousness or purpose; jest. v.tr. Idiom: To waste (time or money, for example). a trifle A little; somewhat: a trifle stingy. [Middle English trufle, trifle, piece of foolishness, trifling matter, from Old French trufle, variant of truffe, trick, mockery, from Old Provençal trufa, truffle, mockery (from the notion that truffles, being difficult to find, seem to mock those who search for them); see TRUFFLE.] trifler (trīflər) n. |
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