fribble

American  

[frib-uhl] / ˈfrɪb əl /

verb (used without object)

fribbled, fribbling

1. to act in a foolish or frivolous manner; trifle.

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verb (used with object)

fribbled, fribbling

1. to waste foolishly (often followed byaway ).

   He fribbled away one opportunity after another.

noun

1. a foolish or frivolous person; trifler.

2. anything trifling or frivolous.

3. frivolousness.

adjective

1. frivolous; foolish; trifling.

fribble British  

/ ˈfrɪbəl /

verb

1. (tr) to fritter away; waste

2. (intr) to act frivolously; trifle

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noun

1. a wasteful or frivolous person or action

adjective

1. frivolous; trifling

Other Word Forms

• fribbler noun

Etymology

Origin of fribble

First recorded in 1620–30; perhaps alteration of frivol

Example Sentences

But during his four-day visit to Washington last week, the Prince kept the flirting to a fribble.

From Time Magazine Archive

The irony is that all this fluff and fribble are arriving just as more women are getting serious about wine.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was a fribble thing called French Without Tears, but the customers liked it.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the film Brummell is at one moment a fribble fellow who orders his dressing gown to match his sheets and his boots buffed with champagne.

From Time Magazine Archive

Fop -- N. fop, fine gentleman; swell; dandy, dandiprat†; exquisite, coxcomb, beau, macaroni, blade, blood, buck, man about town, fast man; fribble, milliner†; Jemmy Jessamy†, carpet knight; masher, dude. fine lady, coquette; flirt, vamp.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Related Words

• levity