fool
1a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgment or sense.
a professional jester, formerly kept by a person of royal or noble rank for amusement: the court fool.
a person who has been tricked or deceived into appearing or acting silly or stupid: to make a fool of someone.
an ardent enthusiast who cannot resist an opportunity to indulge an enthusiasm (usually preceded by a present participle): He's just a dancing fool.
a weak-minded or idiotic person.
to trick, deceive, or impose on: They tried to fool him.
to act like a fool; joke; play.
to jest; pretend; make believe: I was only fooling.
fool around,
to putter aimlessly; waste time: She fooled around all through school.
to philander or flirt.
to be sexually promiscuous, especially to engage in adultery.
fool away, to spend foolishly, as time or money; squander: to fool away the entire afternoon.
fool with, to handle or play with idly or carelessly: to be hurt while fooling with a loaded gun; to fool with someone's affections.
Idioms about fool
be nobody's fool, to be wise or shrewd.
Origin of fool
1Other words for fool
Opposites for fool
Other words from fool
- un·fooled, adjective
- un·fool·ing, adjective
- well-fooled, adjective
Words Nearby fool
Other definitions for fool (2 of 2)
a dish made of fruit, scalded or stewed, crushed and mixed with cream or the like: gooseberry fool.
Origin of fool
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use fool in a sentence
What they found was that most people preferred to work with the lovable fool rather than the competent jerk.
You have to risk it, and be in danger of looking like an absolute fool.
This might not fool a knowledgeable whiskey drinker, but how many of those desperate for Pappy are knowledgeable whiskey drinkers?
My exact words were to allow ‘any fool in the world with Internet access’ to freely modify any page on the site.
And also probably because this fool stopped at a red light in the middle of an intersection.
The Amanda Bynes Train Wreck Is Back Again, Following a New DUI Arrest | Kevin Fallon | September 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The heat of drunkenness is the stumblingblock of the fool, lessening strength and causing wounds.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousY was a Youth, that did not love school; Z was a Zany, a poor harmless fool.
I am not fool enough to put my precious Naps in jeopardy, just when I am so deucedly in want of them, too.
David thought the farmer a fool, and rode on, admiring the blue sky uncheckered by a single cloud.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | VariousThe crest-fallen astronomer plodded on his weary way, another example of a fool and his money soon parted.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun; | Various
British Dictionary definitions for fool (1 of 2)
/ (fuːl) /
a person who lacks sense or judgement
a person who is made to appear ridiculous
(formerly) a professional jester living in a royal or noble household
obsolete an idiot or imbecile: the village fool
form the fool Caribbean to play the fool or behave irritatingly
no fool a wise or sensible person
play the fool or act the fool to deliberately act foolishly; indulge in buffoonery
(tr) to deceive (someone), esp in order to make him or her look ridiculous
(intr; foll by with, around with, or about with) informal to act or play (with) irresponsibly or aimlessly: to fool around with a woman
(intr) to speak or act in a playful, teasing, or jesting manner
(tr foll by away) to squander; fritter: he fooled away a fortune
fool along US to move or proceed in a leisurely way
informal short for foolish
Origin of fool
1British Dictionary definitions for fool (2 of 2)
/ (fuːl) /
mainly British a dessert made from a purée of fruit with cream or custard: gooseberry fool
Origin of fool
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with fool
In addition to the idioms beginning with fool
- fool and his money are soon parted, a
- fool around
- fool away
- fools rush in where angels fear to tread
also see:
- make a fool of
- nobody's fool
- no fool like an old fool
- not suffer fools gladly
- play the fool
- take for (a fool)
Also see underfoolish.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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