Edit page | Page history | Printable version

trifle

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.

Origin: 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.