All 4 Uses

trifle
in
Arrowsmith
(Auto-generated)

Dr. Col. Egbert Arrowsmith and I would fain trifle with another bottle of that renowned strawberry pop. Gosh, Clif, you cer'nly got a swell line of jaw-music.†
Chpt 6

trifle with = treat thoughtlessly or without respect
His trifling with the drug of research was risky.†
Chpt 11 *

trifling with = treating thoughtlessly or without respect
He concentrated on Leora, but his talk was of Martin: "Your husband must be an Artist Healer, not a picker of trifles like these laboratory men."†
Chpt 11 *

trifles = things of small importance
But Gottlieb's no picker of trifles," insisted Martin.†
Chpt 11

Definitions:

(1) (trifle as in: a trifling matter)
something of small importance; or a small quantity
(2) (trifle with as in: trifle with her affections)
to treat somebody or something thoughtlessly or without respect
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
A trifle can refer to a kind of dessert. In classic literature, trifling can be a synonym for small talk.