All 4 Uses of
trifle
in
Candide
- It is true that, all things considered, the life of a gondolier is preferable to that of a Doge; but I believe the difference to be so trifling that it is not worth the trouble of examining.†
Chpt 24
- All you see here is merely trifling.†
Chpt 25 *
- oh!" said the Dutch skipper once more to himself, "thirty thousand piastres are a trifle to this man; surely these sheep must be laden with an immense treasure; let us say no more about it.†
Chpt 19
- It is a very common thing for kings to be dethroned; and as for the honour we have had of supping in their company, it is a trifle not worth our attention.†
Chpt 27
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) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Less commonly, a trifle can refer to a kind of dessert. In classic literature, trifling can be a synonym for small talk.