Tri"fle (?), n. [OE. trifle, trufle, OF. trufle mockery, raillery, trifle, probably the same word as F. truffe truffle, the word being applied to any small or worthless object. See Truffle.] 1. A thing of very little value or importance; a paltry, or trivial, affair.

With such poor trifles playing.

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

Small sands the mountain, moments make year,
And frifles life.

2. A dish composed of sweetmeats, fruits, cake, wine, etc., with syllabub poured over it.

Tri"fle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Trifled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Trifling (?).] [OE. trifelen, truflen. See Trifle, n.] To act or talk without seriousness, gravity, weight, or dignity; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or trivial amusements.

They trifle, and they beat the air about nothing which toucheth us.

Tri"fle, v. t. 1. To make of no importance; to treat as a trifle. [Obs.] Shak.

2. To spend in vanity; to fritter away; to waste; as, to trifle away money. "We trifle time." Shak.

Tri"fle (?), n. [OE. trifle, trufle, OF. trufle mockery, raillery, trifle, probably the same word as F. truffe truffle, the word being applied to any small or worthless object. See Truffle.] 1. A thing of very little value or importance; a paltry, or trivial, affair.

With such poor trifles playing.

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

Small sands the mountain, moments make year,
And frifles life.

2. A dish composed of sweetmeats, fruits, cake, wine, etc., with syllabub poured over it.

Tri"fle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Trifled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Trifling (?).] [OE. trifelen, truflen. See Trifle, n.] To act or talk without seriousness, gravity, weight, or dignity; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or trivial amusements.

They trifle, and they beat the air about nothing which toucheth us.

Tri"fle, v. t. 1. To make of no importance; to treat as a trifle. [Obs.] Shak.

2. To spend in vanity; to fritter away; to waste; as, to trifle away money. "We trifle time." Shak.

• An English dessert made from a mixture of thick custard, fruit, sponge cake, jelly and whipped cream.
  
• An insignificant amount.
  
• A detail or thing of little importance or worth.
  
• A particular kind of pewter.
  
• (uncountable) utensils made from this particular kind of pewter.
  
• See a trifle
  
• To deal with something as if it were of little importance or worth.
  
• To act, speak, or otherwise behave with jest.
  
• To inconsequentially toy with something.
  
• To squander or waste.