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folly

 - 3 dictionary results

fol⋅ly

  [fol-ee]
Use folly in a Sentence
–noun, plural -lies for 2–6.
1. the state or quality of being foolish; lack of understanding or sense.
2. a foolish action, practice, idea, etc.; absurdity: the folly of performing without a rehearsal.
3. a costly and foolish undertaking; unwise investment or expenditure.
4. Architecture. a whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a conversation piece, lend interest to a view, commemorate a person or event, etc.: found esp. in England in the 18th century.
5. follies, a theatrical revue.
6. Obsolete. wickedness; wantonness.
Origin:
1175–1225; ME folie < OF, deriv. of fol, fou foolish, mad. See fool 1

Synonyms:
2. imprudence, rashness, mistake, foolishness, indiscretion, injudiciousness; madness, lunacy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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fol·ly   (fŏl'ē)   
n.   pl. fol·lies

  1. A lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight.

    1. An act or instance of foolishness: regretted the follies of his youth.

    2. A costly undertaking having an absurd or ruinous outcome.

    3. Perilously or criminally foolish action.

    4. Evil; wickedness.

    5. Lewdness; lasciviousness.

  3. follies (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An elaborate theatrical revue consisting of music, dance, and skits.

  4. Obsolete

    1. Perilously or criminally foolish action.

    2. Evil; wickedness.

    3. Lewdness; lasciviousness.


[Middle English folie, from Old French, from fol, foolish, from Late Latin follis, windbag, fool; see fool.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

folly 
c.1225, from O.Fr. folie, from fol (see fool). Sense of "costly structure considered to have shown folly in the builder" is attested from 1654. Used since M.E. of place names, especially country estates, as a form of O.Fr. folie in its meaning "delight." Meaning "glamorous theatrical revue with lots of pretty girls" is from 1880, from Fr.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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