Hypertext Webster Gateway: "toy"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Toy \Toy\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {toyed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{toying}.]
To dally amorously; to trifle; to play.
To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and jest. --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Toy \Toy\, v. t.
To treat foolishly. [Obs.] --E. Dering (1576).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Toy \Toy\ (toi), n. [D. tuid tools, implements, stuff, trash,
speeltuig playthings, toys; akin to G. zeug stuff, materials,
MNG. ziuc, Icel. tygi gear; all ultimately from the root of
E. tug, v. t.; cf. G. zeugen to beget, MHG. ziugen to beget,
make ready, procure. See {Tug}, v. t.]
1. A plaything for children; a bawble. --Cowper.
2. A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of
trade of little value; a trifle.
They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys,
great abundance of gold and pearl. --Abr. Abbot.
3. A wild fancy; an odd conceit; idle sport; folly; trifling
opinion.
To fly about playing their wanton toys. --Spenser.
What if a toy take'em in the heels now, and they all
run away. --Beau. &Fl.
Nor light and idle toys my lines may vainly swell.
--Drayton.
4. Amorous dalliance; play; sport; pastime. --Milton.
To dally thus with death is no fit toy. --Spenser.
5. An old story; a silly tale. --Shak.
6. [Probably the same word.] A headdress of linen or woolen,
that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by old women of
the lower classes; -- called also {toy mutch}. [Scot.]
``Having, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and
scarlet plaid.'' --Sir W. Scott.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
toy
n 1: an artifact designed to be played with [syn: {plaything}]
2: a nonfunctional replica of something else (frequently used
as a modifier); "a toy stove"
3: copy that reproduces something in greatly reduced size [syn:
{miniature}]
4: any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets
[syn: {toy dog}]
v 1: behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young
girl's affection" [syn: {dally}, {play}, {flirt}]
2: manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She
played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle
with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for
the Senate: [syn: {fiddle}, {diddle}, {play}]
3: engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take
it seriously; "They played games on their opponents";
"play the stockmarket"; "play with her feelings"; "toy
with an idea" [syn: {play}]
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