coquet

trifle, toy, dally, flirt, coquet mean to deal with or act toward without serious purpose. trifle may imply playfulness, unconcern, indulgent contempt.

• • to trifle with a lover's feelings

toy implies acting without full attention or serious exertion of one's powers.

• • a political novice toying with great issues

dally suggests indulging in thoughts or plans merely as an amusement.

• • dallying with the idea of building a boat someday

flirt implies an interest or attention that soon passes to another object.

• • flirted with one fashionable ism after another

coquet implies attracting interest or admiration without serious intention.

• • companies that coquet with environmentalism solely for public relations