frivolity
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /fɹɪˈvɒlɪti/
- (General American) IPA(key): /fɹɪˈvɑlɪti/, enPR: frĭvŏlĭtē
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Noun
[edit]frivolity (countable and uncountable, plural frivolities)
- frivolous act
- state of being frivolous
- 2008, Philip Roth, Indignation:
- The sight of their own blood in the white snow may even have been what provided the jolt to transform them from playful children recklessly delighting in the surprise of an unseasonable snowfall into a whooping army of mutineers urged on by a tiny cadre of seditious underclassmen to turn their rambunctious frivolity into stunning mischief and, with an outburst of everything untamed in them (despite regular attendance at chapel), to tumble and roll and skid down the Hill through the deep snow and commence a stupendous night out.
- 2023 August 24, Sarah Naftalis & Lauren Wells, “The Roast” (8:36 from the start), in What We Do in the Shadows[1], season 5, episode 8, spoken by Baron Afanas (Doug Jones):
- “Look at this festive assembly. All of us, gathered here together, chuckling at jokes and silliness.” [laughter] “And jackanapery.” [rim shots] “I guess there's only one thing left to say. What is this shit?” [rim shot] [laughter] “[laughs] Very good.” “You call yourselves vampires? Bah. This entire evening has been nothing but a pageant of insipid nonsense.” “[laughing] Yes.” “Worshipping at the altar of your own mediocre frivolity. A jester's hollow dance. And who is laughing?” “Yeah! [whoops] [grunts]” “Vampires are supposed to have blood orgies and slaughter circles. Gah! You have all gone soft. You even invited humans to this asinine affair.”
Synonyms
[edit]Related terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]frivolous act
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state of being frivolous
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