sb. (a.) Forms: 5–6 trompery(e, 6 tromperey, troumperie, trumprie), 6–7 tromp-, trumperie, 6– trumpery. [a. F. tromperie (14th c. in Godef., Compl.), f. tromper TRUMP v.2: see -ERY 1.]
† 1. Deceit, fraud, imposture, trickery. Obs.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 226. Sa that thare be na trompery.
a. 1578. Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 141. They concordit alltogither in trumperie and fallsit.
1677. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, II. III. 78. Their Ethics were but false or … imperfect ideas of Vertues … their politics were but carnal and so false reasons of State … and therefore stiled in the Scripture tromperie, deceit, and lies.
1847. Disraeli, Tancred, II. iv. Irish Papists denouncing the whole movement as fraud and trumpery.
pl. 1481. Caxton, Godeffroy, clxiii. 241. His fayr wordes full of tromperyes and deceytes.
1598. Dallington, Meth. Trav., H j b. He left none of his trumperies and double dealings vnreuealed.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., VII. xii. 362. He runnes into corners, exercising minor trumperies, and acting his deceits in Witches, Magicians, Diviners.
1687. R. L’Estrange, Brief Hist. Times, I. 140. How was the Justice of the Nation, Abus’d, and Impos’d upon by the Trumperies of Confederacy.
2. ‘Something of less value than it seems’; hence, ‘something of no value; trifles’ (J.); worthless stuff, trash, rubbish. (Usually collective sing.; also, now rarely, pl.) a. Applied to material objects (see also c, d, e).
1531. Test. Ebor. (Surtees), V. 324. A tub, a hogeshed wt other trumperie, viij d.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 608. I haue sold all my Tromperie: not a counterfeit Stone, not a Ribbon, Glasse, Pomander, Browch … to keepe my Pack from fasting.
1789. Mrs. Piozzi, Journ. France, etc., II. 353. A heap of trumpery fit to furnish out the shop of a Westminster pawnbroker.
1807. W. Irving, Salmag., vi. (1824), 90. An abundance of trumpery and rubbish, with which the house is encumbered,… every room, and closet, and corner, is crammed with three-legged chairs, clocks without hands, swords without scabbards [etc.].
pl. a. 1618. Raleigh, Invent. Shipping, 41. Silver, Cut works, Cambricks, and a world of other trumperyes.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xliv. Drawers and cupboards crammed with the dirty relics and congregated trumperies of a couple of generations of Lady Crawleys.
b. Applied to abstract things, as beliefs, practices, discourse, writing, etc.: Nonsense, ‘rubbish.’
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 287. For gif fulis … be sa daft that thai wage bataill for lytill, evyn as to say … that be dauncis or syngis better na he dois, or for syk maner of tromperyis.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. lx. 401. The blacke spottes growing on the backside of the leaues [of ‘male fern’: cf. FERN-SEED] … some do gather thinking to worke wonders, but to say the trueth, it is nothing els but trumperie and superstition.
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, vi. 191. With all their Trumpery of Charms.
1726. De Foe, Hist. Devil, I. ii. (1840), 23. All the metaphysical trumpery of the schools.
1846. D. Jerrold, Mrs. Caudle’s Curt. Lect., viii. I’d put an end to free-masonry and all such trumpery.
c. Applied contemptuously to religious practices, ceremonies, ornaments, etc., regarded as idle or superstitious. (Cf. TRINKET sb.1 3.) Now rare or merged in general sense.
1542–5. Brinklow, Lament., 15 b. Pardons, and other of their tromperye, hath bene bought and solde.
1566. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 95. Banner clothes, crosse clothes, with the rest of the trash as vestments albes and such lik tromperie—wear defacid … by the said churchwardens.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 475. Embryos, and Idiots, Eremits and Friers White, Black and Grey, with all thir trumperie.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, III. 12. This City is famed for … reliques of saints, and such like holy trumpery.
1824. Southey, Bk. of Ch. (1841), 267. St. Francis, St. Dominic, and their fellows, must dislodge with all their trumpery.
pl. 1548. Luther’s Art. Faith, Pref. A v. Our juglynge tromperies.
1625. Purchas, Pilgrims, IX. vii. § 1. 1487. Wearied with the trumperies of the Religion of Mahumet.
1704. J. Pitts, Acc. Mohammetans, vi. (1738), 55. They blame the Papists for having so many Trumperies in their Churches.
d. Showy but unsubstantial apparel; worthless finery.
1610. Shaks., Temp., IV. i. 186. The trumpery in my house, goe bring it hither For stale to catch these theeues.
1801. Mar. Edgeworth, Out of Debt, iii. ‘You have brought me to the gallows, and all for this trumpery,’ cried he, snatching her gaudy hat from her head.
1851. C. Brontë, in Mrs. Gaskell, Life (1857), 364. It would be no shame for a person of my means to wear a cheaper thing;… if you … call it ‘trumpery’ so much the worse.
e. Gardening. Weeds or refuse, such as hinder the growth of valuable plants. Obs. exc. dial.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 214. Broom, Furze, Heath, and other suchlike trumpery, that delight only in barren Lands.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 387. Finish your last Weeding, and cleanse your Garden of Trumpery.
1758. R. Brown, Compl. Farmer, II. (1760), 30. It occasions its running to May-weed, and other trumpery.
1888. in Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk.
f. Applied to a person, esp. a woman: cf. TRASH sb.1 4. ? Obs. exc. dial.
1738. Swift, Pol. Conversat., iii. 195. For Want of Company, welcome Trumpery.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xxi. Out, I say;… tramp, thou infamous strumpet…. What! you trumpery, to come and take up an honest house without cross or coin to bless yourself with!
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xviii. Get out wid ye, ye trumpery—I won’t have ye round!
B. attrib. or adj. Of little or no value; trifling, paltry, insignificant; worthless, rubbishy, trashy.
1576. Fleming, Caius’ Dogs (1880), 16. A Hare … was seene … playing with his former feete vppon a tabbaret…. This is no trumpery tale, nor trifling toye.
1748. H. Walpole, Lett. (1845), II. 229. Mr. Ashurst … has built a trumpery new house. Ibid. (1781), Lett. to W. Mason, 14 April. Dr. Johnson’s ‘Life of Pope’ … is a most trumpery performance.
1810. Scott, Lett. to Miss J. Baillie, 23 Nov., in Lockhart. I hope you will set some value upon this little trumpery brooch, because it is … a Scotch harp, and set with Iona stones.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., viii. (1875), 323. The accents of a trumpery rhetorician.
1869. Trollope, He knew, etc., xvi. It seems a trumpery quarrel,—as to who should beg each other’s pardon first.
Hence Trumperiness.
1868. A. K. H. Boyd, Less. Mid. Age, 271. How these things impress the lover of Gothic who dwells in a country of churches of inexpressible trumperiness and shabbiness!
