To fritter away

To fritter away
Fritter Frit"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Frittered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Frittering}.] 1. To cut, as meat, into small pieces, for frying. [1913 Webster]

2. To break into small pieces or fragments. [1913 Webster]

Break all nerves, and fritter all their sense. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

{To fritter away}, to diminish; to pare off; to reduce to nothing by taking away a little at a time; also, to waste piecemeal; as, to fritter away time, strength, credit, etc. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • fritter away something — fritter away (something) to waste money, time, or an opportunity. He was known to fritter away huge sums betting on the horses. I didn t do anything over vacation I just frittered it away. Usage notes: usually used to show disapproval …   New idioms dictionary

  • fritter away — (something) to waste money, time, or an opportunity. He was known to fritter away huge sums betting on the horses. I didn t do anything over vacation I just frittered it away. Usage notes: usually used to show disapproval …   New idioms dictionary

  • fritter away — verb spend frivolously and unwisely Fritter away one s inheritance • Syn: ↑fritter, ↑frivol away, ↑dissipate, ↑shoot, ↑fool, ↑fool away • Derivationally related forms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • fritter away — v. (D; tr.) to fritter away on (to fritter away one s time away on trifles) * * * [ frɪtə(r)ə weɪ] (D; tr.) to fritter away on (to fritter away one s time away on trifles) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • fritter away — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms fritter away : present tense I/you/we/they fritter away he/she/it fritters away present participle frittering away past tense frittered away past participle frittered away to waste time or money on things that …   English dictionary

  • fritter away — verb To squander or waste. “There is little need,” said the monk, with a meaning look, “to fritter away the time in gewgaws.” …   Wiktionary

  • fritter away — phr verb Fritter away is used with these nouns as the object: ↑money, ↑time …   Collocations dictionary

  • fritter away — PHRASAL VERB If someone fritters away time or money, they waste it on unimportant or unnecessary things. [V P n (not pron)] The firm soon started frittering away the cash it was generating... [V n P] I seem to fritter my time away at coffee… …   English dictionary

  • fritter away — (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb To spend (money) excessively and usually foolishly: consume, dissipate, fool away, riot away, squander, throw away, trifle away, waste. Slang: blow1. See SAVE …   English dictionary for students

  • fritter away — 1. Diminish, pare off, reduce to nothing. 2. Misuse (time), waste, dawdle away, idle away, fool away. 3. Waste bit by bit, destroy gradually, waste by dispersion or by trifling and petty use …   New dictionary of synonyms

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