toy

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

toy, 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.].

•  A plaything for children; a bawble.  Cowper.  [1913 Webster]
•  A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of trade of little value; a trifle.  [1913 Webster]

  "They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys, great abundance of gold and pearl."  [1913 Webster]
•  A wild fancy; an odd conceit; idle sport; folly; trifling opinion.  [1913 Webster]

  "To fly about playing their wanton toys."  [1913 Webster]

  "What if a toy take 'em in the heels now, and they all run away."  [1913 Webster]

  "Nor light and idle toys my lines may vainly swell."  [1913 Webster]
•  Amorous dalliance; play; sport; pastime.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

  "To dally thus with death is no fit toy."  [1913 Webster]
•  An old story; a silly tale.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  A headdress of linen or woolen, that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by old women of the lower classes; -- called also toy mutch.  Sir W. Scott.  [1913 Webster]

toy, v. i. 

 To dally amorously; to trifle; to play.  [1913 Webster]
"To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and jest."  [1913 Webster]

toy, v. t. 

 To treat foolishly.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

toy, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a plaything, esp. for a child. b (often attrib.) a model or miniature replica of a thing, esp. as a plaything (toy gun).
2 a a thing, esp. a gadget or instrument, regarded as providing amusement or pleasure. b a task or undertaking regarded in an unserious way.
3 (usu. attrib.) a diminutive breed or variety of dog etc.
--v.intr. (usu. foll. by with)
1 trifle, amuse oneself, esp. with a person's affections; flirt (toyed with the idea of going to Africa).
2 a move a material object idly (toyed with her necklace). b nibble at food etc. unenthusiastically (toyed with a peach).

Idiom

toy-box a usu. wooden box for keeping toys in. toy boy colloq. a woman's much younger male lover. toy soldier
1 a miniature figure of a soldier.
2 sl. a soldier in a peacetime army.

Etymology

16th c.: earlier = dallying, fun, jest, whim, trifle: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

toy

Charlie McCarthy, a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn, a hoot, agate, agent, ancilla, appliance, babe, baby, baby-sized, bagatelle, ball, bantam, banty, baseball bat, bat, battledore, bauble, bean, bibelot, bill and coo, bit, blocks, boob, boutade, brainstorm, brass farthing, bric-a-brac, butt, button, byword, byword of reproach, capriccio, caprice, caress, cent, checkerboard, chessboard, chump, cinch, club, cockhorse, compact, conceit, contrivance, copulate, coquet, cosset, crank, craze, crazy idea, creature, credulous person, cricket bat, crotchet, cuddle, cue, cull, curio, dabble, dally, dandle, derision, device, die, diminutive, disport, doll, doll carriage, dummy, duodecimo, dupe, easy mark, easy pickings, fad, fair game, fall guy, fancy, fantastic notion, fantasy, farce, farthing, feather, fiddle, fiddle with, fiddle-faddle, fidget with, fig, figure of fun, finger with, fish, fleabite, flimflam, flirt, folderol, fool, fool around, fool notion, fool with, freak, freakish inspiration, fribble, frippery, frivol, frolic, game, gaud, gazingstock, gewgaw, gimcrack, go-between, goat, gobe-mouches, golf club, greener, greenhorn, greeny, gudgeon, gull, hair, halfpenny, handmaid, handmaiden, handy, harebrained idea, hill of beans, hobbyhorse, horse around, humor, idle, implement, innocent, instrument, interagent, intermediary, intermediate, intermedium, jack-in-the-box, jacks, jackstones, jackstraws, jerk off, jest, jestingstock, joke, kickshaw, kid around, kink, knack, knickknack, knickknackery, laughingstock, lead on, leadpipe cinch, lever, loiter, lollygag, maggot, make love, make out, marble, marionette, mechanism, mediator, medium, megrim, mess around, midwife, mig, miniature, miniaturized, minikin, minimal, minion, minuscule, mockery, molehill, monkey, monkey around, neck, notion, novelty, organ, paper doll, passing fancy, patsy, pawn, peppercorn, pet, picayune, pick-up sticks, piddle, pigeon, pin, pinch of snuff, pinprick, pinwheel, play, play around, play with, plaything, pocket, pocket-sized, pony, potter, pretty, prize sap, puppet, pushover, putter, quirk, racket, rag doll, rap, red cent, rocking horse, row of pins, rush, sap, saphead, schlemiel, servant, shit, sitting duck, slave, small-scale, smatter, smooch, snap, sneeshing, sou, spoon, sport, steelie, stock, stooge, straw, string along, subminiature, sucker, sweet-talk, target, taw, tease, teetotum, tinker, tool, top, toy soldier, toy with, trifle, trinket, triviality, trusting soul, tuppence, twelvemo, twiddle, two cents, twopence, vagary, vehicle, vest-pocket, victim, wanton, whatnot, whim, whim-wham, whimsy, whisper sweet nothings

ROGET THESAURUS

toy

Unimportance

N unimportance, insignificance, nothingness, immateriality, triviality, levity, frivolity, paltriness, poverty, smallness, vanity, matter of indifference, no object, nothing, nothing to signify, nothing worth speaking of, nothing particular, nothing to boast of, nothing to speak of, small matter, no great matter, trifling matter, mere joke, mere nothing, hardly anything, scarcely anything, nonentity, small beer, cipher, no great shakes, peu de chose, child's play, kinderspiel, toy, plaything, popgun, paper pellet, gimcrack, gewgaw, bauble, trinket, bagatelle, Rickshaw, knickknack, whim-wham, trifle, trifles light as air, yankee notions, trumpery, trash, rubbish, stuff, fatras, frippery, leather or prunello, chaff, drug, froth bubble smoke, cobweb, weed, refuse, scum, joke, jest, snap of the fingers, fudge, fiddlestick, fiddlestick end, pack of nonsense, mere farce, straw, pin, fig, button, rush, bulrush, feather, halfpenny, farthing, brass farthing, doit, peppercorn, jot, rap, pinch of snuff, old son, cent, mill, picayune, pistareen, red cent, minutiae, details, minor details, small fry, dust in the balance, feather in the scale, drop in the ocean, flea-bite, molehill, nine days' wonder, ridiculus mus, flash in the pan, much ado about nothing, unimportant, of little account, of small account, of no account, of little importance, of no importance, immaterial, unessential, nonessential, indifferent, subordinate, mediocre, passable, fair, respectable, tolerable, commonplace, uneventful, mere, common, ordinary, inconsiderable, so-so, insignificant, inappreciable, trifling, trivial, slight, slender, light, flimsy, frothy, idle, puerile, airy, shallow, weak, powerless, frivolous, petty, niggling, piddling, peddling, fribble, inane, ridiculous, farcical, finical, finikin, fiddle-faddle, fingle-fangle, namby-pamby, wishy-washy, milk and water, poor, paltry, pitiful, contemptible, sorry, mean, meager, shabby, miserable, wretched, vile, scrubby, scrannel, weedy, niggardly, scurvy, putid, beggarly, worthless, twopennyhalfpenny, cheap, trashy, catchpenny, gimcrack, trumpery, one- horse, not worth the pains, not worth while, not worth mentioning, not worth speaking of, not worth a thought, not worth a curse, not worth a straw, beneath notice, unworthy of notice, beneath regard, unworthy of regard, beneath consideration, unworthy of consideration, de lana caprina, vain, slightly, rather, somewhat, pretty well, tolerably, for aught one cares, Int, no matter!, pish!, tush!, tut!, pshaw!, pugh!, pooh, pooh-pooh!, fudge!, bosh!, humbug!, fiddlestick, fiddlestick end!, fiddlededee!, never mind!, n'importe!, what signifies it, what boots it, what of it, what of that, what matter, what's the odds, a fig for', stuff!, nonsense!, stuff and nonsense, magno conatu magnas nugas, le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle, it matters not, it does not signify, it is of no consequence, it is of no importance, elephantus non capit murem, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

Amusement

N amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games, diversion, divertissement, reaction, solace, pastime, passetemps, sport, labor of love, pleasure, relaxation, leisure, fun, frolic, merriment, jollity, joviality, jovialness, heyday, laughter, jocosity, jocoseness, drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery, mummery, pleasantry, wit, quip, quirk, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout, horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh, guffaw, burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter, cachinnation, Kentish fire, tiger, play, game, game at romps, gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine, escapade, echappee, bout, espieglerie, practical joke, dance, hop, reel, rigadoon, saraband, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance, minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha, fandango, cancan, bayadere, breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis, break dancing, nautch-girl, shindig, skirtdance, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance, galop, galopade, jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey, allemande, gavot, gavotte, tarantella, mazurka, morisco, morris dance, quadrille, country dance, folk dance, cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley, ballet, ball, bal, bal masque, bal costume, masquerade, Terpsichore, festivity, merrymaking, party, blowout, hullabaloo, hoedown, bat, bum, bust, clambake, donation party, fish fry, jamboree, kantikoy, nautch, randy, squantum, tear, Turnerfest, yule log, fete, festival, gala, ridotto, revels, revelry, reveling, carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks, feast, banquet, regale, symposium, wassail, carouse, carousal, jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre, regatta, field day, treat, round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making, rejoicing, jubilee, bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker, holiday, gala day, red letter day, play day, high days and holidays, high holiday, Bank holiday, May day, Derby day, Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday, Bairam, wayz-goos, bean feast, Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Mardi gras, mi-careme, feria, fiesta, place of amusement, theater, hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom, music hall, park, plaisance, national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public), arbor, garden, pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground, tennis court, racket court, bowling alley, green alley, croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum, skating rink, roundabout, merry-go-round, swing, montagne Russe, game of chance, game of skill, athletic sports, gymnastics, archery, rifle shooting, tournament, pugilism, sports, horse racing, the turf, aquatics, skating, sliding, cricket, tennis, lawn tennis, hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball, rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace, pall- mall, tipcat, croquet, golf, curling, pallone, polo, water polo, tent pegging, tilting at the ring, quintain, greasy pole, quoits, horseshoes, discus, rounders, lacrosse, tobogganing, water polo, knurr and spell, leapfrog, hop skip and jump, mother may I, French and English, tug of war, blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper, hide and seek, kiss in the ring, snapdragon, cross questions and crooked answers, crisscross, hopscotch, jacks, jackstones, marbles, mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag, billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle, bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain, American bowls, tenpins, tivoli, cards, card games, whist, rubber, round game, loo, cribbage, besique, euchre, drole, ecarte, picquet, allfours, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit, boston, boaston, blackjack, twenty- one, vingtun, quinze, thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs, banker, blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker, bluff, bridge, bridge whist, lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my- neighbor, baccarat, ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce, joker, trump, wild card, spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds, major suit, minor suit, bower, right bower, left bower, dummy, jackpot, deck, pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush, misere chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire, game of fox and goose, monopoly, loto, scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman, morra, gambling, toy, plaything, bauble, doll, teetotum, knickknack, magic lantern, peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show, toy shop, quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles, entertainer, showman, showgirl, dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man, vaudeville act, singer, musician, sportsman, gamester, reveler, master of ceremonies, master of revels, pompom girl, arbiter elegantiarum, arbiter bibendi, archer, fan, toxophilite, turfman, amusing, entertaining, diverting, recreational, recreative, lusory, pleasant, laughable, witty, fun, festive, festal, jovial, jolly, jocund, roguish, rompish, playful, playful as a kitten, sportive, ludibrious, funny, very funny, hilarious, uproarious, side-splitting, amused, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw, laughing, risible, ready to burst, ready to split, ready to die with laughter, convulsed with laughter, rolling in the aisles, on the light fantastic toe, at play, in sport, Int, vive la bagatelle!, vogue la galere!, deus nobis haec otia fecit, dum vivimus vivamus, dulce est desipere in loco, (every room) hath blazed with lights and brayed wi, misce stullitiam consiliis brevem.

VB amuse, entertain, divert, enliven, tickle the fancy, titillate, raise a smile, put in good humor, cause laughter, create laughter, occasion laughter, raise laughter, excite laughter, produce laughter, convulse with laughter, set the table in a roar, be the death of one, recreate, solace, cheer, rejoice, please, interest, treat, regale, amuse oneself, game, play a game, play pranks, play tricks, sport, disport, toy, wanton, revel, junket, feast, carouse, banquet, make merry, drown care, drive dull care away, frolic, gambol, frisk, romp, caper, dance, keep up the ball, run a rig, sow one's wild oats, have one's fling, take one's pleasure, paint the town red, see life, desipere in loco, play the fool, make holiday, keep holiday, go a Maying, while away the time, beguile the time, kill time, dally, smile, simper, smirk, grin, grin like a Cheshire cat, mock, laugh in one's sleeve, laugh, laugh outright, giggle, titter, snigger, crow, snicker, chuckle, cackle, burst out, burst into a fit of laughter, shout, split, roar, shake one's sides, split one's sides, hold both one's sides, roar with laughter, die with laughter.

Endearment

VB caress, fondle, pet, dandle, pat, pat on the head, pat on the cheek, chuck under the chin, smile upon, coax, wheedle, cosset, coddle, cocker, cockle, make of, make much of, cherish, foster, kill with kindness, clasp, hug, cuddle, fold in one's arms, strain in one's arms, nestle, nuzzle, embrace, kiss, buss, smack, blow a kiss, salute, fold to the heart, press to the bosom, bill and coo, spoon, toy, dally, flirt, coquet, gallivant, galavant, philander, make love, pay one's court to, pay one's addresses to, pay one's attentions to, serenade, court, woo, set one's cap at, be sweet upon, look sweet upon, ogle, cast sheep's eyes upon, faire les yeux doux, fall in love with, win the affections, die for, propose, make an offer, have an offer, pop the question, plight one's troth, plight one's faith.