All 4 Uses
trifle
in
Mrs. Warren's Profession
(Auto-generated)
- They might as well ask what good Lord Shaftesbury did by devoting his life to the exposure of evils (by no means yet remedied) compared to which the worst things brought into view or even into surmise by this play are trifles.†
Act Auth *trifles = things of small importance
- Your mother is not to be trifled with when she's angry.†
Act 1trifled with = treated thoughtlessly or without respect
- [Seriously, as if she had done quite enough trifling for one evening] Her butter is really awful†
Act 2
- VIVIE [ruthlessly] Yes, without a moment's hesitation, if you trifle with me about this.†
Act 2 *trifle with = treat thoughtlessly or without respect
Definitions:
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(1)
(trifle as in: a trifling matter) something of small importance; or a small quantity
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(2)
(trifle with as in: trifle with her affections) to treat somebody or something thoughtlessly or without respect
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(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.