Trifle

/ˈtɹaɪfəl/ · noun

Meaning

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

Definitions by Sense

1. (cooking) An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.
2. (figurative) Anything that is of little importance or worth.
3. (figurative) A very small amount (of something).
4. A particular kind of pewter.
5. (uncountable) Utensils made from this particular kind of pewter.
6. (intransitive) To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.
7. (intransitive) To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.
8. (intransitive) To inconsequentially toy with something.

Example Sentences

It is interesting to watch the surface joviality on screen while racism is layered between courses like soggy trifles.

Trifles light as air / Are to the jealous confirmation strong / As proofs of holy writ.

Olde Chaucer doth of Topas tell, / Mad Rablais of Pantagruell, / A latter third of Dowsabell, / With such poore trifles playing:

[W]hen they had the Character and Honour of a VVoman at their Mercy, often times made it their Jest, and at least look’d upon it as a Trifle, and counted the Ruin of thoſe, they had had their VVill of, as a thing of no value.

‘And all about a rattle!’ said Alice, still hoping to make them a little ashamed of fighting for such a trifle.

This Line leaves out […] Poplar and Black-vvall, vvhich are indeed contiguous, a Trifle of Ground excepted, and very populous.

There was a good deal of rustling and whispering behind the curtain, a trifle of lamp smoke, and an occasional giggle from Amy […]

“Take just a trifle of French mustard […]”

Synonyms for trifle

Antonyms for trifle

Related Words

Word Forms

• trifles
• trifling
• trifled

Usage Notes

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