I. ˈfül noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English fol, fool, from Old French fol, from Late Latin follis, from Latin, bellows, bag; akin to Latin flare to blow — more at blow
1. : a person lacking in judgment or prudence
a fool and his money are soon parted
: one that acts stupidly or recklessly
fortune favors fools
2.
a. : a retainer formerly kept in great households to provide casual entertainment and commonly dressed in motley with cap, bells, and bauble — called also jester
b. : one that is victimized or that is made to appear foolish : gull , dupe , butt
a fool of circumstances
history has made fools of many rash prophets
he doesn't look very bright but he's nobody's fool
3.
a. : a harmlessly deranged person or one lacking in common powers of understanding : natural , idiot — now used chiefly in the phrase born fool
b. : one having a special weakness
a fool for women
or fondness
a fool for candy
c. : one with a marked propensity or talent for a certain activity
a letter-writing fool
that horse is a running fool
a fool for luck
4. : one that cannot stand comparison with another
home's a fool beside this-here place … let's dance another round — Elizabeth M. Roberts
5.
a. : mashed fruit and cream
b. : a dessert made of pulped fruit covered with a custard and cream
gooseberry fool
6. : plum pocket
Synonyms:
fool , idiot , imbecile , moron , simpleton , and natural are often applied popularly and interchangeably to anyone regarded as lacking sense or good judgment but can be more strictly applied to someone mentally deficient in a given degree. fool , the most general, can apply to anyone mentally deranged as well as mentally deficient, implying lack or loss of reason or intelligence; it may be used as an extremely offensive term of contempt
fools rush in where angels fear to tread — Alexander Pope
he was a fool and liable, as such, under the stress of bodily or mental disturbance, to spasmodic fits of abject fright which he mistook for religion — Norman Douglas
I was a fool, if you like, and certainly I was going to do a foolish, overbold act — R.L.Stevenson
to act like a fool
idiot , imbecile , and moron are technical designations for one mentally deficient. An idiot is incapable of connected speech or of avoiding the common dangers of life and needs constant attendance. An imbecile is incapable of earning a living but can be educated to attend to simple wants or avoid most ordinary dangers. A moron can learn a simple trade but requires constant supervision in his work or recreation. In nontechnical use, idiot implies utter feeblemindedness; imbecile implies half-wittedness; moron implies general stupidity
comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers — Edna S. V. Millay
actually there never is a status quo, except in the minds of political imbeciles — Henry Miller
even morons get college degrees — H.R.Warfel
simpleton , a term of indulgent contempt, implies silliness or lack of sophistication
a sweet-natured simpleton who wrote lovely songs for children — S.F.Damon
in spite of her experience of his lying, she had never suspected that that particular statement was a lie. What a simpleton she was! — Arnold Bennett
natural , now rare, once designated any congenitally feebleminded person
the man is not a natural; he has a very quick sense, though very slow understanding — Richard Steele
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English folen, from Middle French foler, from fol foolish
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to spend time idly or aimlessly : waste time
is this a time for fooling — John Dryden
— often used with around
he hasn't been working at all, just fooling around
b. : to meddle or tamper thoughtlessly or ignorantly : handle recklessly — used with with
emotions are dangerous things to fool with
or around with
don't fool around with that gun
c. : to act or work tentatively or unsystematically or casually — often used with around
fooling around in his home laboratory
fooling around with new wing designs
he fooled with farm machinery so much that he just about didn't get any farming done — Danforth Ross
d. : to deal without serious intent : trifle , philander — often used with around
falls into the habit of fooling around with a blond instead of going dutifully home — Time
time to stop fooling around and get married and settle down
2.
a. : to play or improvise a comic role : make comedy
a master maker of comedy, he could fool excellently — Edith Hamilton
he is serious, but she likes to fool
b. : to speak in jest : speak or act in playful deception : joke
don't be frightened, I was only fooling
3.
a. : to contend or fight without serious intent or with less than full strength : toy — used with with
the champion fooled with him for six rounds and then knocked him out
a dangerous man to fool with
b. : to go at less than full or normal speed : amble , loiter — used with along or about
we didn't hurry, just fooled along enjoying the scenery
transitive verb
1.
a. : to make a fool of : deceive , dupe
to fool rustlers … ranchers started putting brands in two or three different places — S.E.Fletcher
his disguise didn't fool anybody
fooling the voters with large promises
b. : to take by surprise : exceed or disappoint the expectations of
I don't think he is ready for work, but he may fool me
2. obsolete : to make foolish : infatuate
for, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit — John Dryden
3. : to spend on trifles or without advantage : fritter — used with away
fooled the whole afternoon away
fooled away his week's allowance in two days
III. adjective
Etymology: partly from Middle English fol, fool, from Old French fol, from Late Latin follus, from follis, n.; partly from fool (I)
: foolish , silly , stupid
his fool idea of rewriting the books of authors — Bennett Cerf
the dog was barking his fool head off