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foolishness

 - 2 dictionary results

fool⋅ish

[foo-lish]
–adjective
1. resulting from or showing a lack of sense; ill-considered; unwise: a foolish action, a foolish speech.
2. lacking forethought or caution.
3. trifling, insignificant, or paltry.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME folish, foolish. See fool 1 , -ish 1


fool⋅ish⋅ly, adverb
fool⋅ish⋅ness, noun


1, 2. senseless, vacant, vapid, simple, witless. Foolish, fatuous, silly, inane, stupid, asinine imply weakness of intellect and lack of judgment. Foolish implies lack of common sense or good judgment or, sometimes, weakness of mind: a foolish decision; The child seems foolish. Fatuous implies being not only foolish, dull, and vacant in mind, but complacent and highly self-satisfied as well: fatuous and self-important; fatuous answers. Silly denotes extreme and conspicuous foolishness; it may also refer to pointlessness of jokes, remarks, etc.: silly and senseless behavior; a perfectly silly statement. Inane applies to silliness that is notably lacking in content, sense, or point: inane questions that leave one no reply. Stupid implies natural slowness or dullness of intellect, or, sometimes, a benumbed or dazed state of mind; it is also used to mean foolish or silly: well-meaning but stupid; rendered stupid by a blow; It is stupid to do such a thing. Asinine originally meant like an ass; it applies to witlessly stupid conversation or conduct and suggests a lack of social grace or perception: He failed to notice the reaction to his asinine remarks. 1. imprudent, unreasonable, foolhardy, irrational; thoughtless, nonsensical, ridiculous, absurd, pointless, preposterous.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To foolishness
fool·ish   (fōō'lĭsh)   
adj.  
  1. Lacking or exhibiting a lack of good sense or judgment; silly: foolish remarks.

  2. Resulting from stupidity or misinformation; unwise: a foolish decision.

  3. Arousing laughter; absurd or ridiculous: a foolish grin.

  4. Immoderate or stubborn; unreasonable: foolish pride; foolish love.

  5. Embarrassed; abashed: I feel foolish telling you this.

  6. Insignificant; trivial: spent all their money on foolish little knickknacks.

fool'ish·ly adv., fool'ish·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives are applied to what is so devoid of wisdom or good sense as to be laughable: a foolish expenditure of energy; a silly argument; made fatuous remarks; an absurd idea that is bound to fail; a preposterous excuse that no one believed; offered a ridiculous explanation for his tardiness; a ludicrous criticism that was immediately dismissed.
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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