FOOL

n., v., & adj. --n. 1 a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a stupid person. 2 hist. a jester; a clown. 3 a dupe. --v. 1 tr. deceive so as to cause to appear foolish. 2 tr. (foll. by into + verbal noun, or out of) trick; cause to do something foolish. 3 tr. play tricks on; dupe. 4 intr. act in a joking, frivolous, or teasing way. 5 intr. (foll. by about, around) behave in a playful or silly way. --adj. US colloq. foolish, silly. øact (or play) the fool behave in a silly way. fool's errand a fruitless venture. fool's gold iron pyrites. fool's paradise happiness founded on an illusion. fool's parsley a species of hemlock resembling parsley. make a fool of make (a person or oneself) look foolish; trick or deceive. no (or nobody's) fool a shrewd or prudent person. [ME f. OF fol f. L follis bellows, empty-headed person]