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Trifles light as air / Are to the jealous confirmation strong / As proofs of holy writ.
1627, Michaell Drayton [i.e., Michael Drayton], “Nimphidia. The Court of Fayrie.”, in The Battaile of Agincourt., London: A M for VVilliam Lee,, published 1631, →OCLC:
Olde Chaucer doth of Topas tell, / Mad Rablais of Pantagruell, / A latter third of Dowsabell, / With such poore trifles playing:
hen they had the Character and Honour of a VVoman at their Mercy, often times made it their Jest, and at least look’d upon it as a Trifle, and counted the Ruin of thoſe, they had had their VVill of, as a thing of no value.
1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion., volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray,, 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC:
He told her of horses which he had bought for a trifle and sold for incredible sums […]
1742, [Daniel Defoe], “Letter II. Containing A Description of the City of London.”, in A Tour thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain., 3rd edition, volume II, London: J Osborn,, →OCLC, page 90:
This Line leaves out […]Poplar and Black-vvall, vvhich are indeed contiguous, a Trifle of Ground excepted, and very populous.
1677, Hannah Woolley, The Compleat Servant-Maid, London: T. Passinger, page 62:
For an honest and sober man will rather make that woman his wife, whom he seeth employed continually about her business, than one who makes it her business to trifle away her own and others time.
1817 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter VI, in Persuasion; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion., volume (please specify |volume=III or IV), London: John Murray,, 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC:
As it was, he did nothing with much zeal, but sport; and his time was otherwise trifled away, without benefit from books or anything else.