trifle

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 (a trifle) [sing.] (formal) slightly: She seemed a trifle anxious. * He was just a trifle too friendly for my liking. 2 [C] something that is not valuable or important: There's no point worrying over such trifles. * $1000 is a mere trifle to her. 3 [C,U] (BrE) a cold DESSERT (= a sweet dish) made from cake and fruit soaked in wine and/or jelly, covered with CUSTARD and cream verb PHRASALVERBS trifle with sb/sth (formal) (used especially in negative sentences) to treat sb/sth without genuine respect: He is not a person to be trifled with. * You should not trifle with someone's affection.