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trifle

2 syllables
Quick answer

As a noun, trifle means an English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream. As a verb, it means deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.

Meanings of trifle

16 meanings

noun

  1. An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.

  2. Anything that is of little importance or worth.

  3. An insignificant amount of money.

  4. A very small amount (of something).

  5. A particular kind of pewter.

  6. Utensils made from this particular kind of pewter.

  7. A cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolatefood

  8. A detail that is considered insignificant

    Similar: triviality

verb

  1. To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.

    “You must not trifle with her affections.”

  2. To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.

  3. To inconsequentially toy with something.

  4. To squander or waste.

  5. Waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently

    Similar: piddle, wanton, wanton away, piddle away
  6. Act frivolously

    Similar: frivol
  7. Consider not very seriously

    “He is trifling with her”

    “She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania”

    Similar: dally, play
Older and rare meanings (1)
  1. obsoleteTo make a trifle of, to make trivial.

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).

Synonyms by meaning

All synonyms for trifle →
noun: a detail that is considered insignificant
noun: something of small importance
verb: waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
verb: act frivolously
verb: consider not very seriously

Words that rhyme with trifle

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