1. [n]  any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets
2. [n]  copy that reproduces something in greatly reduced size
3. [n]  an artifact designed to be played with
4. [n]  a nonfunctional replica of something else (frequently used as a modifier); "a toy stove"
5. [v]  engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stockmarket"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea"
6. [v]  manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"
7. [v]  behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection"

1. \Toy\ (toi), n. [D. tuid tools, implements, stuff, trash,
   speeltuig playthings, toys; akin to G. zeug stuff, materials,
   MNG. ziuc, Icel. tygi gear; all ultimately from the root of
   E. tug, v. t.; cf. G. zeugen to beget, MHG. ziugen to beget,
   make ready, procure. See {Tug}, v. t.]
   1. A plaything for children; a bawble. --Cowper.
   2. A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of
      trade of little value; a trifle.
            They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys,
            great abundance of gold and pearl.    --Abr. Abbot.
   3. A wild fancy; an odd conceit; idle sport; folly; trifling
      opinion.
            To fly about playing their wanton toys. --Spenser.
            What if a toy take'em in the heels now, and they all
            run away.                             --Beau. &Fl.
            Nor light and idle toys my lines may vainly swell.
                                                  --Drayton.
   4. Amorous dalliance; play; sport; pastime. --Milton.
            To dally thus with death is no fit toy. --Spenser.
   5. An old story; a silly tale. --Shak.
   6. [Probably the same word.] A headdress of linen or woolen,
      that hangs down over the shoulders, worn by old women of
      the lower classes; -- called also {toy mutch}. [Scot.]
      ``Having, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and
      scarlet plaid.'' --Sir W. Scott.
   

2. \Toy\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {toyed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {toying}.]
   To dally amorously; to trifle; to play.
         To toy, to wanton, dally, smile and jest. --Shak.
   

3. \Toy\, v. t.
   To treat foolishly. [Obs.] --E. Dering (1576).
   

A computer system; always used with qualifiers.

1. "nice toy": One that supports the speaker's hacking style adequately.

2. "just a toy": A machine that yields insufficient computrons for the speaker's preferred uses. This is not condemnatory, as is bitty box; toys can at least be fun. It is also strongly conditioned by one's expectations; Cray XMP users sometimes consider the Cray-1 a "toy", and certainly all RISC boxes and mainframes are toys by their standards. See also Get a real computer!.

[Jargon File]