[Goes with TOY sb., q.v.]
1. intr. To act idly or without seriousness; to trifle, ‘play,’ deal carelessly (with a person or thing); also † to make sport, mock (obs.).
a. 1529. Skelton, Bowge of Courte, 290. It was no tyme with him to jape nor toye.
1530. Palsgr., 758/2. I toye, or try-fell with one, I deale nat substancyally with hym, je me truffe.
1549–62. Sternhold & H., Ps. xxxv. 16. Yea abject slaves at me did toy with mocks and cheekes ful stout.
1563. Homilies, II. Inform. H. Script., I. (1859), 373. It is a shame that christian men should be so light headed, to toy as ruffians do with such manner of speeches.
1576. Dering, Expos. Heb. v. 4–6. Cc iij. They must haue oyle, candels … wine and water,… trifled and toyed with all.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 19. I fear I do toy in recording these vain Objections.
1868. Dixon, Spir. Wives, I. vii. 75. He toyed with astrology, and had fitful dreams of enjoying the elixir of life.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. lxxxi. 296. [Class issues] are usually toyed with by both parties alike.
b. So to toy it.
1657. J. Sergeant, Schism Dispach’t, 379. Thus Dr. H. toyes it with his Readers. Ibid., 574. Let them not toy it now.
2. To sport amorously; to dally, flirt. Usually const. with. (Cf. TOY sb. 1.)
15[?]. Song Bachelor’s Life, 7 (Ritson). If he [the married man] be merie and toy with any, His wife will frowne, and words geve manye.
1566. in Daily News, 10 Sept. (1897), 6/7. That none toy with the maids, on paine of 4d.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 106. And for my sake [he] hath learnd to sport, and daunce, To toy, to wanton, dallie, smile, and iest.
c. 1613. Middleton, No Wit like Woman’s, V. i. Not toy, nor bill, and imitate house-pigeons.
1727. Gay, Begg. Op., I. viii. O Polly you might have toy’d and kist.
1811. W. R. Spencer, Poems, 73. Whilst he and Psyche toy’d together.
fig. 1793. Wordsw., Descr. Sketches, 52. To where the Alps, ascending white in air, Toy with the Sun, and glitter from afar.
1842. H. Rogers, Ess., I. i. 4. He had in early life toyed a little with the muses.
3. To play, sport, amuse oneself; to move sportively, play or frisk about.
1530. Palsgr., 758/2. I toye, I playe with one, je me joue.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ix. 35. But other some could not abide to toy; All pleasaunce was to them griefe and annoy.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. v. § 44. 674. The senseless atoms, playing and toying up and down without any care or thought.
1827. Pollok, Course T., v. 1007. The hare, unscared Sported and toyed familiar with his dog.
1836. O. W. Holmes, Poetry, ii. 18. Pale dreamers, whose fantastic lay Toys with smooth trifles like a child at play.
1848. Kingsley, Saint’s Trag., II. iv. 63. I have toyed too long … down the stream of life.
b. Toy with: to play with (a material object), to handle or finger idly; hence, to work idly or carelessly with or at.
1822. W. Irving, Braceb. Hall, xxvi. (1845), 121. The gallant general took his station … at her side, and toyed with her elegantly ornamented work-bag.
1840. Dickens, Barn. Rudge, lxiv, The fire was seen sporting and toying with the door.
1879. E. Garrett, House by Works, I. 115. Mrs. Pendlebury looked down, and toyed with her rings.
4. trans. (with adv.) To spend or waste in toying; to bring by toying (into or out of some condition).
1575. Abp. Parker, Corr. (Parker Soc.), 474. I toy out my time, partly with copying books.
1685. J. Scott, Chr. Life, II. 134. So fools and fleers on, till he hath toyed and laughed himself out of all sense of Religion.
1749. Johnson, Irene, I. i. He toys his hours away.
