fool

[Fool]

In the Middle Ages, a fool was a clown or jester. Today fools are simply idiots who clown around.

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A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.

Noun
a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of

Noun
a person who lacks good judgment

Noun
a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the middle ages

Verb
indulge in horseplay; "Enough horsing around--let''s get back to work!"; "The bored children were fooling about"

Verb
fool or hoax; "The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone"; "You can''t fool me!"

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Verb
spend frivolously and unwisely; "Fritter away one''s inheritance"

Verb
make a fool or dupe of

n.
A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.

n.
One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.

n.
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.

n.
One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.

n.
One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.

v. i.
To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.

v. t.
To infatuate; to make foolish.

v. t.
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 money.

Fool

Fool , n. [Cf. F. fouler to tread, crush. Cf. 1st Foil.] A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.

Fool

Fool, n. [OE. fol, n. & adj., F. fol, fou, foolish, mad; a fool, prob. fr. L. follis a bellows, wind bag, an inflated ball; perh. akin to E. bellows. Cf. Folly, Follicle.] 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.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

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.

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?

April fool, Court fool, etc. See under April, Court, 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 ('92thusa 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 the buffoon; to act a foolish part. "I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." 1 Sam. xxvi. 21.

Fool

Fool, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fooled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling.] To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.

Is this a time for fooling?

Fool

Fool, v. t. 1. To infatuate; to make foolish. Shak.

For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit.

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 money.

You are fooled, discarded, and shook off By him for whom these shames ye underwent.

To fool away, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.

A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.

One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.

To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.

To infatuate; to make foolish.

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Usage Examples

A man is a fool if he drinks before he reaches the age of 50, and a fool if he doesn't afterward.

Any fool can have bad luck the art consists in knowing how to exploit it.

A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom.

An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations.

Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you.

A lot of good arguments are spoiled by some fool who knows what he is talking about.

A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

A good businessman never makes a contract unless he's sure he can carry it through, yet every fool on earth is perfectly willing to sign a marriage contract without considering whether he can live up to it or not.

Misspelled Form

fool, dfool, rfool, tfool, gfool, vfool, cfool, dool, rool, tool, gool, vool, cool, fdool, frool, ftool, fgool, fvool, fcool, fiool, f9ool, f0ool, fpool, flool, fiol, f9ol, f0ol, fpol, flol, foiol, fo9ol, fo0ol, fopol, folol, foiol, fo9ol, fo0ol, fopol, folol, foil, fo9l, fo0l, fopl, foll, fooil, foo9l, foo0l, foopl, fooll, fookl, foool, foopl, foo:l, fook, fooo, foop, foo:, foolk, foolo, foolp, fool:.

Other Usage Examples

A fool and his money are soon parted.

A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place.

A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.

A fool and his money are soon elected.

A fool and her money are soon courted.

Always remember, money isn't everything - but also remember to make a lot of it before talking such fool nonsense.

Any fool can make enough money to survive. It's another thing to keep yourself consistently entertained. It's a lot of work, and a lot of fun, to make a life.

Any fool can tell the truth, but it requires a man of some sense to know how to lie well.

A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.