frivol
Rare / ArchaicLiterary, Humorous, or Archaic
Definition
Meaning
To behave in a frivolous manner; to waste time or money on trivial things.
To engage in idle or trivial amusement; to treat something without due seriousness or respect, often implying a lack of purpose or value.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a verb. Its use is now largely archaic or deliberately stylized. It implies a conscious act of being frivolous, often with a slight connotation of self-indulgence or deliberate disregard for seriousness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is equally rare in both varieties, with no significant differences in application.
Connotations
May carry a slightly old-fashioned, whimsical, or genteel tone in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary use for both. More likely to be encountered in historical texts or as a deliberate, playful archaism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Someone frivols (around/away).Someone frivols away [time/money].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “frivol away the hours”
- “to frivol and frolic”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used. A disapproving manager might archaically say, "We can't afford to frivol away our resources."
Academic
Rare. Might appear in literary criticism discussing characters who frivol away their inheritances.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Used humorously or self-deprecatingly: "I spent the afternoon frivolling in the garden."
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was content to frivol away the bank holiday.
- She accused him of frivolling when he should be revising.
American English
- They would rather frivol away their inheritance than invest it.
- Stop frivolling and get to work!
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; the adverb is 'frivolously')
American English
- (Not standard; the adverb is 'frivolously')
adjective
British English
- (Not standard; the adjective is 'frivolous')
American English
- (Not standard; the adjective is 'frivolous')
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too rare for A2)
- (Too rare for B1)
- The heirs chose to frivol away their fortune on lavish parties.
- It's a luxury to have a day with no plans, just to frivol.
- Critics accused the government of frivolling with public funds on the vanity project.
- His memoirs revealed a youth spent frivolling across the continent, heedless of the coming war.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a "frivolous" person. The verb 'FRIVOL' is what they DO - they FRIVOL away their time.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS MONEY / RESOURCE (to frivol it away). SERIOUSNESS IS WEIGHT / GRAVITY (to act without it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'капризничать' (to be capricious) or 'баловаться' (to fool around). 'Frivol' is closer to 'тратить попусту' (to spend in vain) or 'предаваться легкомыслию' (to indulge in frivolity).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a common synonym for 'play' or 'have fun'. Incorrectly forming the past tense as 'frivolled' (correct is 'frivolled' or 'frivoled', both accepted).
Practice
Quiz
The verb 'to frivol' is best described as:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though it is rare and considered archaic. It is the verb form of the more common adjective 'frivolous'.
Almost exclusively in the phrasal verb 'to frivol away', as in 'to frivol away time/money'.
It is not recommended for contemporary formal writing due to its archaic nature. Use 'squander', 'fritter away', or 'waste' instead.
'Frolic' implies lively, playful, and often physical merrymaking. 'Frivol' implies idle, trivial, and often wasteful activity, not necessarily physical.