Forms: 6 frivolus, fryvolous(e, (7 frivoulous), 6–7 frivelous, (6 fryvlous), 7 frivilous, 6– frivolous. [f. L. frīvol-us + -OUS. Cf. FRIVOL a.]
1. Of little or no weight, value, or importance; paltry, trumpery; not worthy of serious attention; having no reasonable ground or purpose.
1549. Bale, Leland’s N. Y. Gift, D iv. We fynde for true hystoryes, most fryuolouse fables and lyes.
1578. Timme, Caluine on Gen. 25. It is too frivolous and vaine to expound this worde.
1634. Ld. Kensington, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 172. In their frivolous delayes, and in the unreasonable conditions which they propounded.
1648. Gage, West Ind., xx. 169. His answers seeming frivolous.
c. 1670. Wood, Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), I. 398. The warden, by the motion of his lady, did put the college to unnecessary charges, and very frivolous expences.
1770. Junius’ Lett., xxxix. 198. They voted his information frivolous.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., I. xi. (1860), I. 184. The other frivolous ornaments of dress and furniture.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vii. The slight and frivolous complaints unnecessarily brought before him.
1871. Dixon, Tower, III. xxv. 280. He was arrested on a frivolous charge.
b. Law. In pleading: Manifestly insufficient or futile.
1736. in Swift’s Lett. (1766), II. 249. The decree was affirmed most unanimously, the appeal adjudged frivolous.
1883. Sir H. Cotton, in Law Rep., 11 Q. Bench Div. 532. Unless the counter-claim is frivolous and unsubstantial.
2. Characterized by lack of seriousness, sense, or reverence; given to trifling, silly.
1560. trans. Fisher s Treat. Prayer, F ij. Eschewyng all vayne, friuolus, and vnfruitfull thoughtes.
1575. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 101. Frivolous boyishe grammer schole trickes.
1687. Wood, Life, 21 April. The duke of Bucks is dead … many frivolous things extant—‘Bays,’ a comedy.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 156, ¶ 6. From reading frivolous Books, and keeping as frivolous Company.
1783. Johnson, 18 April, in Boswell. He may be a frivolous man, and be so much occupied with petty pursuits, that he may not want friends.
1862. Miss Braddon, Lady Audley, ix. 63. Lady Audley amused herself in her own frivolous fashion.
absol. 1836. Emerson, Nat., Idealism, Wks. (Bohn), II. 160. The frivolous make themselves merry with the Ideal theory, as if its consequences were burlesque.
Hence Frivolously adv., Frivolousness.
1611. Cotgr., Vainement, vainely, friuolously, to no purpose.
1624. Donne, Serm. (Alford), V. cxxx. 330. If Abraham had any such doubts, of a frivolousness in so base a seal.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 448, ¶ 2. The frivolously false ones.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), I. 119. He will become acquainted with the degrees of evidence, so as to measure them almost upon inspection, and judge of the weight or frivolousness of objections, and will lay up a stock of principles in his understanding which he may trust to, so as to be able to make his decisions quicker and surer, though less hastily, than other people.
1812. G. Chalmers, Dom. Econ. Gt. Brit., 396. This argument, if it merit that dignified name, has been found to have, at least, the pertinacity of faction, if it have not the frivolousness of folly: Let all, then, who reason from facts, like true philosophers, and deduce, like wise men, from experience.
1885. Ld. Blackburn, in Law Rep. 10 Appeal Cases, 223. The bankrupt being held to be acting frivolously and vexatiously.
