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Foolish; silly; trifling. [R.]

A part of the ocean near the equator, abounding in calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds, which sometimes prevent all progress for weeks; -- so called by sailors. To be in the doldrums, to be in a state of listlessness ennui, or tedium.

The fling of a horse, or ordinary kicking back of his heels; a gambol.

Tending to evade, or marked by evasion; elusive; shuffling; avoiding by artifice. Thus he, though conscious of the ethereal guest, Answered evasive of the sly request. Pope. Stammered out a few evasive phrases. Macaulay. -- E*va"sive*ly , adv. -- E*va"sive*ness, n.

Something new-fashioned; a foolish innovation; a gewgaw; a trifling ornament.

To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business. [Prov. Eng.] Bp. Hall.

A trifle; trifling talk; nonsense. [Colloq.] Spectator.

A trifling wound or pain, like that of the bite of a flea. Harvey.

Speaking fluently and confidently, without knowledge or consideration; empty; trifling; inconsederate; pert; petulant. "Flippant epilogous." Thomson. To put flippant scorn to the blush. I. Taylor. A sort of flippant, vain discourse. Burke.

To throw with a jerk or quick effort; to fling suddenly; as, they flirt water in each other's faces; he flirted a glove, or a handkerchief.

imp. & p. p. of Fling.

To fling the limbs and body, as in making efforts to move; to struggle, as a horse in the mire, or as a fish on land; to roll, toss, and tumble; to flounce. They have floundered on from blunder to blunder. Sir W. Hamilton.

imp. & p. p. of Fling.

A familiar spirit; a witch's attendant. [Obs.] A trifling fly, none of your great familiars. B. Jonson.

Trifling; valued by folly; trivial. [Obs.] Shak.

Frivolous; trifling; sily.

Trifling; contemptible.

The condition or quality of being frivolous; also, acts or habits of trifling; unbecoming levity of disposition.

Given to trifling; marked with unbecoming levity; silly; interested especially in trifling matters. His personal tastes were low and frivolous. Macaulay.

Futile; trifling. [Obs.]