FRITTER


Meaning of FRITTER in English

I. ˈfrid.ə(r), -itə- noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English fritour, fritur, frutour, frutur, from Middle French friture, from ( assumed ) Vulgar Latin frictura, from Latin frictus (past participle of frigere to roast, fry) + -ura -ure

1. : a small quantity of batter often containing fruit or meat and fried in deep fat or sautéed

apple fritters

corn fritters

clam fritters

2. New England : griddle cake

II. noun

( -s )

Etymology: alteration of fitter

: fragment , shred

each … morsel, crumb, scrag and fritter from the bins — Edith Sitwell

III. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

transitive verb

1. : to reduce or waste piecemeal : diminish , consume , dissipate — used chiefly with away

foolishly frittering away time and energy

frittering our time and thoughts away on trivial things — Dorothy C. Fisher

2. : to cut or break into small pieces or fragments : disperse

the responsibility for measures is frittered and divided among a triad of authorities — Ernest Barker

intransitive verb

1. : to break up : divide into fragments

there is formed … a slag which fritters on cooling — Chem. Abstracts

2. : to dissipate itself : dwindle

the threat of economic sanctions frittered into impotent “moral” protest — Fortune

the conspiracy frittered away to an ignominious conclusion — American Guide Series: Ind.

Synonyms: see waste

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.