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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



38 words match “FRIVOL”

HEARSAY n.
he obloquy that has so long rested on the memory of our great national poet originated in frivolous hearsays of his life and conversation. Prof. Wilson. Hearsay evidence (Law), that species of testimony which consists in a a narration by one person of matters told him by another. It is, with a few exceptions, inadmissi…
IMPERTINENT a.
Trifing; inattentive; frivolous.
INANITY n.
Want of seriousness; aimlessness; frivolity.
INFATUATION n.
te of being infatuated; folly; that which infatuates. The infatuations of the sensual and frivolous part of mankind are amazing; but the infatuations of the learned and sophistical are incomparably more so. I. Taylor. Such is the infatuation of self-love. Blair.
LEVITY n.
Lack of gravity and earnestness in deportment or character; trifling gayety; frivolity; sportiveness; vanity. " A spirit of levity and libertinism." Atterbury. He never employed his omnipotence out of levity. Calamy.
LIGHT a.
Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial. Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. Shak. Specimens of New England humor laboriously light and lamentably mirthful. Hawthorne.
OVERLIGHT a.
Too light or frivolous; giddy.
PERSIFLAGE n.
Frivolous or bantering talk; a frivolous manner of treating any subject, whether serious or otherwise; light raillery. Hannah More.
PETTILY adv.
In a petty manner; frivolously.
PIDDLING a.
Trifling; trivial; frivolous; paltry; -- applied to persons and things. The ignoble hucksterage of piddling tithes. Milton.
PLEASURE n.
Amusement; sport; diversion; self-indulgence; frivolous or dissipating enjoyment; hence, sensual gratification; -- opposed to labor, service, duty, self-denial, etc. "Not sunk in carnal pleasure." Milton. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man. Prov. xxi. 17. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii…
RAKE n.
n addicted to lewdness and other scandalous vices; a debauchee; a roué. Am illiterate and frivolous old rake. Macaulay.
RATTLE n.
Noisy, rapid talk. All this ado about the golden age is but an empty rattle and frivolous conceit. Hakewill.
SAD a.
Serious; grave; sober; steadfast; not light or frivolous. [Obs.] "Ripe and sad courage." Bacon. Which treaty was wisely handled by sad and discrete counsel of both parties. Ld. Berners.
SOLID a.
Fig.: Worthy of credit, trust, or esteem; substantial, as opposed to frivolous or fallacious; weighty; firm; strong; valid; just; genuine. The solid purpose of a sincere and virtuous answer. Milton. These, wanting wit, affect gravity, and go by the name of solid men. Dryden. The genius of the Italians wrought by solid…
SOMETIMES adv.
certain times . . . at certain other times; as, sometimes he is earnest, sometimes he is frivolous.
THEATRICALS n.
and `musicals,' invented by the flippant Topham, still survive among his confraternity of frivolity. I. Disraeli.
UNIDEAED a.
Having no ideas; senseless; frivolous. "Unideaed girls." Mrs. Hemans. He [Bacon] received the unideaed page [Villiers] into his intimacy. Lord Campbell.
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