trifle
a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,822 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 5,876 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.003% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
- a detail that is considered insignificant also: triviality
- something of small importance also: triviality, trivia, small beer
verb
- waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently also: piddle, wanton, wanton away, piddle away
- act frivolously also: frivol
- consider not very seriously also: dally, play He is trifling with herShe plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania
trifle in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Oh, don't trifle with a poor wreck like me.
A Double Barrelled Detective Story · Mark Twain · Chapter 2
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The sole of the shoe was a trifle larger than the footprints.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
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The vision would unsettle my reason if I had not a trifle of Hope remaining.
The Ethics of Drink and Other Social · James Runciman · Chapter 1
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You are very merry and contented, but I suffer hunger and thirst, so give me a trifle.’
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
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The unpleasant intention was evident; but M. Costeclar was not the man to get angry for such a trifle.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1