Toys with marks of approval and other meaningless trifles (12)
I believe the answer is:
fiddlesticks
'other meaningless trifles' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'toys with marks of approval' is the wordplay.
'toys' becomes 'fiddles' ('fiddle' can be a synonym of 'toy').
'with' says to put letters next to each other.
'marks of approval' becomes 'ticks' (I've seen this before).
'fiddles'+'ticks'='FIDDLESTICKS'
'and' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for fiddlesticks that I've seen before include "Expression of annoyance or disagreement" , "Rhubarb" , "Bother!" , "Violin bows - rubbish!" , "Blast!" .)