All 8 Uses

trifle
in
An American Tragedy
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And Bella, his cousin, trifling around with these girls in the beautiful homes of this street, while he was shunted away in a small third-floor room at Mrs. Cuppy's with no place to go.†
Chpt 2 *
Nevertheless, her underlying thought in connection with all this, in so far as Clyde and his great passion for her was concerned—and hers for him—was that she was indeed trifling with fire and perhaps social disgrace into the bargain.†
Chpt 2

trifling with = treating thoughtlessly or without respect
Any such trifling was against the laws of God and he carried nothing in stock that would in any way interfere with the ways of the Creator.†
Chpt 2
And, for various reasons connected with his own temperament, which was retiring and recessive, as well as the nature of this local social world, he disliked and hesitated to even trifle with them.†
Chpt 2

trifle with = treat thoughtlessly or without respect
Plead as he might, her case, as she saw it, was at last critical and no longer to be trifled with in any way.†
Chpt 2 *

trifled with = treated thoughtlessly or without respect
At the mention of this particular brother, who, to the knowledge of all the members of this family, was distinctly not a success materially, the face of Samuel Griffiths clouded the least trifle.†
Chpt 2
One could not trifle or compromise with a terror of this kind.†
Chpt 2
Her jaw became a trifle set.†
Chpt 2

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.