Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Fool
Fool
,Noun.
[Cf. F.
fouler
to tread, crush. Cf. 1st Foil
.] A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; – commonly called gooseberry fool.
Fool
,Noun.
1.
One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.
2.
A person deficient in intellect; one who acts absurdly, or pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; one without judgment; a simpleton; a dolt.
Extol not riches, then, the toil of
fools
. Milton.
Experience keeps a dear school, but
fools
will learn in no other
. Franklin.
3.
(Script.)
One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.
The
fool
hath said in his heart, There is no God. Ps. xiv. 1.
4.
One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.
Can they think me . . . their
fool
or jester? Milton.
April fool
, Court fool
, etc. Fool’s cap
, a cap or hood to which bells were usually attached, formerly worn by professional jesters.
– Fool's errand
, an unreasonable, silly, profitless adventure or undertaking.
– Fool's gold
, iron or copper pyrites, resembling gold in color.
– Fool's paradise
, a name applied to a limbo (see under
– Limbo
) popularly believed to be the region of vanity and nonsense. Hence, any foolish pleasure or condition of vain self-satistaction. Fool's parsley
(Bot.)
, an annual umbelliferous plant (
– Aethusa Cynapium
) resembling parsley, but nauseous and poisonous. To make a fool of
, to render ridiculous; to outwit; to shame.
[Colloq.]
– To play the fool
, to act foolishly; to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part.
“I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” 1 Sam. xxvi. 21.
Fool
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Fooled
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Fooling
.] To play the fool.
Is this a time for
fooling
? Dryden.
Fool
,Verb.
T.
1.
To infatuate; to make foolish.
Shak.
For,
fooled
with hope, men favor the deceit. Dryden.
2.
To use as a fool; to deceive in a shameful or mortifying manner; to impose upon; to cheat by inspiring foolish confidence;
as, to
. fool
one out of his moneyYou are
By him for whom these shames ye underwent.
fooled
, discarded, and shook offBy him for whom these shames ye underwent.
Shakespeare
To fool away
, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.
Webster 1828 Edition
Fool
FOOL
,Noun.
1.
One who is destitute of reason, or the common powers of understanding; an idiot. Some persons are born fools, and are called natural fools; others may become fools by some injury done to the brain.2.
In common language, a person who is somewhat deficient in intellect, but not an idiot; or a person who acts absurdly; one who does not exercise his reason; one who pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom.Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
3.
In scripture, fool is often used for a wicked or depraved person; one who acts contrary to sound wisdom in his moral deportment; one who follows his own inclinations, who prefers trifling and temporary pleasures to the service of God and eternal happiness.The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Ps. 14.
4.
A weak christian; a godly person who has much remaining sin and unbelief.O fools, and slow of heart to believe all the prophets have written. Luke 24.
Also, one who is accounted or called a fool by ungodly men. 1Cor. 4:10.
5.
A term of indignity and reproach.To be thought knowing, you must first put the fool upon all mankind.
6.
One who counterfeits folly; a buffoon; as a king's fool.I scorn, although their drudge, to be their fool or jester.
1.
To play the fool, to act the buffoon; to jest; to make sport.2.
To act like one void of understanding.To put the fool on, to impose on; to delude.
To make a fool of, to frustrate; to defeat; to disappoint.
FOOL
,Verb.
I.
Is this a time for fooling?
FOOL
, v.t.1.
To treat with contempt; to disappoint; to defeat; to frustrate; to deceive; to impose on.When I consider life, 'tis all a cheat; for fooled with hope, men favor the deceit.
2.
To infatuate; to make foolish.3.
To cheat; as, to fool one out of his money.1.
To fool away, to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage; as, to fool away time.2.
To spend for things of no value or use; to expend improvidently; as, to fool away money.Definition 2024
fool
fool
English
Noun
fool (plural fools)
- (pejorative) A person with poor judgment or little intelligence.
- You were a fool to cross that busy road without looking.
- The village fool threw his own shoes down the well.
- Franklin
- Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
- (historical) A jester; a person whose role was to entertain a sovereign and the court (or lower personages).
- (informal) Someone who derives pleasure from something specified.
- Milton
- Can they think me […] their fool or jester?
- 1975, Foghat, "Fool for the City" (song), Fool for the City (album):
- I'm a fool for the city.
- Milton
- (slang) Buddy, dude, person.
- (cooking) A type of dessert made of puréed fruit and custard or cream.
- an apricot fool; a gooseberry fool
- (often capitalized, Fool) A particular card in a tarot deck.
Synonyms
- (person with poor judgment): See also Wikisaurus:fool
- (person who entertained a sovereign): jester, joker
- (person who talks a lot of nonsense): gobshite
Translations
person with poor judgement or little intelligence
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jester
|
dessert
tarot card
Verb
fool (third-person singular simple present fools, present participle fooling, simple past and past participle fooled)
- To trick; to make a fool of someone.
- To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.
- Dryden
- Is this a time for fooling?
- Dryden
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:deceive
Translations
to trick; to make a fool of someone
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Derived terms
Terms derived from the noun or verb fool
References
- ↑ fool in: T. F. Hoad, Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 978-0-19-283098-8