fritter

noun

1. A dish made by deep-frying food coated in batter.
2. A fragment; a shred; a small piece.

   “And cut whole giants into fritters.”

verb

1. (intransitive, often)To squander or waste time, money, or other resources; e.g. occupy oneself idly or without clear purpose, to tinker with an unimportant part of a project, to dally, sometimes as a form of procrastination.

   “I was supposed to do work, but I frittered around all afternoon.”

   “He can’t figure out how to finish the paper he’s writing, so he’s resorted to frittering with the fonts.”

   “It is quite possible to fritter one's life away in answer to the endless calls of others.”

2. (transitive)To sinter.
3. (transitive)To cut (meat etc.) into small pieces for frying.
4. (transitive)To break into small pieces or fragments.

   “Break all nerves, and fritter all their sense.”