Word Direct Answers

What does "toy" mean?

Toy: A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of trade of little value; a trifle. They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys, great abundance of gold and pearl. Abr. Abbot.

Additional senses

  1. 2.A wild fancy; an odd conceit; idle sport; folly; trifling opinion. To fly about playing their wanton toys. Spenser. What if a toy take'em in the heels now, and they all run away. Beau. &Fl. Nor light and idle toys my lines may vainly swell. Drayton.
  2. 3.Amorous dalliance; play; sport; pastime. Milton. To dally thus with death is no fit toy. Spenser.
  3. 4.An old story; a silly tale. Shak.
  4. 5.Etym: [Probably the same word.] A headdress of linen or woolen, that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by old women of the lower classes; -- called also toy mutch. [Scot.] "Having, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and scarlet plaid." Sir W. Scott.
  5. 6.To dally amorously; to trifle; to play. To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and jest. Shak.
  6. 7.To treat foolishly. [Obs.] E. Dering (1576).

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