[app. an altered form of FITTERS; perh. due to the influence of prec.; but cf. OF. freture, fraiture:—L. fractūra FRACTURE.]
1. pl. Minute pieces, fragments, shreds. Also, articles of trifling size, trifles. Now rare.
In Johnson’s quots. (1626 Bacon, 1678 Butler) the correct reading is fitters; in Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 151, The word is prob. FRITTER sb.1
1755. in Johnson.
1767. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1792), I. iv. 94. Half the trimmings hanging in fritters and tattars about him.
c. 1890[?]. in Daily News, 12 Oct. (1895), 6/3. A huge collection of ornamental fritters huddled together.
attrib. 1686. J. Goad, Astro-meteorologica, II. ii. 168 There appears these differences, Flaxen Clouds, Fleec’d Clouds, some which I call Fritter Clouds, all from their likeness.
2. [From the vb.] Excessive subdivision (by which the general effect is lost).
1803. Repton, Landscape Gard. (1805), 56. Producing variety without fritter, and continuity without sameness.
1848. Rickman, Archit., 201. This window is a series of small panels … and these … throw the building into fritter.
