Fritter — Defs

01 n. A small quantity of batter, fried in boiling lard or in a frying pan. Fritters are of various kinds, named from the substance inclosed in t…

1.
A small quantity of batter, fried in boiling lard or in a frying pan. Fritters are of various kinds, named from the substance inclosed in the batter; as, apple fritters, clam fritters, oyster fritters.
2.
A fragment; a shred; a small piece.
“And cut whole giants into fritters.” — Hudibras.

Phrases & compounds

Corn fritter — See under Corn.

02 v. t. To cut, as meat, into small pieces, for frying.

imp. & p. p. Frittered; p. pr. & vb. n. Frittering

1.
To cut, as meat, into small pieces, for frying.
2.
To break into small pieces or fragments.
“Break all nerves, and fritter all their sense.” — Pope.

Phrases & compounds

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.