trinket
Part of speech: noun
Morphological type: simple
Topics: lifestyle
religion
Etymology: The origin of the noun is unknown; the word is possibly related to Old French tryncle (“piece of jewellery”). The following have also been suggested:
* From Middle English trenket, trynket (“small knife, specifically, a cordwainer’s knife”).
* From trick (“plaything, toy; trifle”, noun) or trick (verb).
However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, there is insufficient evidence of any shift of meaning from these words to the current meanings of trinket.
The verb is derived from the noun.
Inflected forms:
form: trinkets
pos: noun
tags: plural
Senses:
gloss: A small, showy ornament, especially a piece of jewellery.
pos: noun
examples: That little trinket around her neck must have cost a bundle.
[H]e's an old man, / A good old man, they ſay too: I dare ſvveare / Full many a yeare ago, he left theſe gambols: / Here, take your trinkets.
Hence is the Fair vvith Ornaments ſupply'd, / Hence ſprung the glitt'ring Implements of Pride; / Each Trinket that adorns the modern Dame, / Firſt to theſe little Artiſts ovv'd its Frame.
Glumdalclitch vvrapped it [the broken finger from a statue] up in a Handkerchief; and carried it home in her Pocket to keep among other Trinkets, of vvhich the Girl vvas very fond, as Children at her Age uſually are.
This [the hawksbill turtle] is the animal that ſupplies the tortoiſe-ſhell, of vvhich ſuch a variety of beautiful trinkets are made.
James [II] ordered an estimate to be made of the cost of such a procession, and found that it would amount to about half as much as he proposed to expend in covering his wife [Mary of Modena] with trinkets. He accordingly determined to be profuse where he ought to have been frugal, and niggardly where he might pardonably have been profuse. More than one hundred thousand pounds were laid out in dressing the queen, and the procession from the Tower was omitted.
gloss: A thing of little practical and/or monetary value; a toy, a trifle.
pos: noun
tags: figuratively
examples: It’s only a little trinket, but it reminds her of him.
There is no art about the Eiffel Tower. In no way can it be said to have contributed to the real beauty of the Exhibition. Men flocked to see it and ascended it as it was a novelty and of unique dimensions. It was the toy of the Exhibition. So long as we are children we are attracted by toys, and the Tower was a good demonstration of the fact that we are all children attracted by trinkets. That may be claimed to be the purpose served by the Eiffel Tower.
gloss: A small item of food; a small dainty.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
examples: [L]et Tim send the ale and the sack, and the nipperkin of double-distilled, with a bit of diet-loaf, or some such trinket, and score it to the new comer.
gloss: A small item forming part of a set of equipment; an accessory, an accoutrement.
pos: noun
tags: in-plural
obsolete
examples: Good huſbandes that laye, to ſaue all thing vpright: / for Tumbrels and cartes, haue a ſhed redy dight. / A ſtore houſe for trinkets, kept cloſe as a iayle: / that nothing be wanting, the worthe of a nayle.
[T]he poorer ſort of common ſouldiers haue euery man his leather bag or ſachell well ſowen together, wherin he packs vp all his trinkets, and ſtrongly truſſing it vp hangs it at his horſes tayle, and ſo paſſeth ouer, in manner aforeſaid.
Dunſtan vvas in his Vocation making ſome iron Trinkets, vvhen a Proteus-Devil appeared unto him, changing into Shapes, but fixing himſelf at laſt into the form of a Fair VVoman. […] Dunſtan perceiving it, pluckt his Tongs glovving hot out of the Fire, and vvith them kept him (or her ſhall I ſay?) there along time by the Noſe roaring and bellovving; till at laſt he brake looſe, by vvhat accident it is not told unto us.
Soon you vvill hear the Saucy Stevvard ſay, / Pack up vvith all your Trinkets, and avvay: […]
gloss: An item used in a religious rite (also, a religious rite, belief, etc.) regarded as superfluous or trivial.
pos: noun
tags: derogatory
figuratively
obsolete
examples: [T]he ſame teachers with Chriſts doctrine mingled Jewiſhnes and ſuperſticious Philoſophie, obſeruing and keping certain poyntes of the lawe, ſuperſticiously alſo honouring the Sunne, the Moone, and ſtarres, with ſuch other trinkettes of this world, hearing the Coloſſiãs [Colossians] in hand that thei were alſo bound to do the ſame.
The Duke of Somerſet vvas religious himſelf, a lover of all ſuch as vvere ſo, and a great Promoter of Reformation. Valiant, fortunate, vvitneſſe his victory in Muſleborrough field, vvhen the Scots filled many carts vvith emptineſſe, and loaded them vvith vvhat vvas lighter than vanity it ſelf, Popiſh Images, and other Trinkets, vvherein they placed the confidence of their Conqueſt.
Synonyms: bauble
novelty
bric-a-brac
fandangle
fangle
fizgig
folderol
gewgaw
kickshaw
knick-knack
mathom
tat
tchotchke
trangam
trinket
whim-wham
Related words: curio
schwag
swag
Derived words: trinkery
trinketer
trinketization
trinketize
trinketlike
trinketry
trinkety
trinkilo
trinklement
trinklet
trinkum
Translations: