Fritter \Frit"ter\, n. [OR. fritour, friture, pancake, F. friture frying, a thing fried, from frire to fry. See Far, v. 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.

Corn fritter. See under Corn.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Fritter \Frit"ter\, v. t. [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.

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)