Fool

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Fool, n. [Cf. F. fouler to tread, crush. Cf. 1st Foil.].

 A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.  [1913 Webster]

Fool, n. [OE. fol, n. & adj., F. fol, fou, foolish, mad; a fool, prob. fr. L. follis a bellows, wind bag, an inflated ball; perh. akin to E. bellows. Cf. Folly, Follicle.].

•  One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.  [1913 Webster]
•  A person deficient in intellect; one who acts absurdly, or pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; one without judgment; a simpleton; a dolt.  [1913 Webster]

  " Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools."  [1913 Webster]

  " Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.  [1913 Webster]

  " The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.  [1913 Webster]

  " Can they think me . . . their fool or jester?"  [1913 Webster]

April fool, Court fool, etc. See under April, Court, etc. -- Fool's cap, a cap or hood to which bells were usually attached, formerly worn by professional jesters. -- Fool's errand, an unreasonable, silly, profitless adventure or undertaking. -- Fool's gold, iron or copper pyrites, resembling gold in color. -- Fool's paradise, a name applied to a limbo (see under Limbo) popularly believed to be the region of vanity and nonsense. Hence, any foolish pleasure or condition of vain self-satistaction. -- Fool's parsley (Bot.), an annual umbelliferous plant (Æthusa Cynapium) resembling parsley, but nauseous and poisonous. -- To make a fool of, to render ridiculous; to outwit; to shame. [Colloq.] -- To play the fool, to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. “I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” 1 Sam. xxvi. 21.

Fool, v. i. 

 To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.  [1913 Webster]
"Is this a time for fooling?"  [1913 Webster]

Fool, v. t. 

•  To infatuate; to make foolish.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit."  [1913 Webster]
•  To use as a fool; to deceive in a shameful or mortifying manner; to impose upon; to cheat by inspiring foolish confidence; as, to fool one out of his money.  [1913 Webster]

  "You are fooled, discarded, and shook off
  By him for whom these shames ye underwent."  [1913 Webster]

To fool away, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

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.

Idiom

act (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.

Fool, n. a dessert of usu. stewed fruit crushed and mixed with cream, custard, etc.

Etymology

16th c.: perh. f. FOOL(1)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Fool

n. A person who pervades the domain of intellectual speculation and diffuses himself through the channels of moral activity. He is omnific, omniform, omnipercipient, omniscience, omnipotent. He it was who invented letters, printing, the railroad, the steamboat, the telegraph, the platitude and the circle of the sciences. He created patriotism and taught the nations war -- founded theology, philosophy, law, medicine and Chicago. He established monarchical and republican government. He is from everlasting to everlasting -- such as creation's dawn beheld he fooleth now. In the morning of time he sang upon primitive hills, and in the noonday of existence headed the procession of being. His grandmotherly hand was warmly tucked-in the set sun of civilization, and in the twilight he prepares Man's evening meal of milk-and-morality and turns down the covers of the universal grave. And after the rest of us shall have retired for the night of eternal oblivion he will sit up to write a history of human civilization.

THESAURUS

Fool

Columbine, Hanswurst, Harlequin, Pantalone, Pantaloon, Polichinelle, Pulcinella, Punch, Punchinello, Scaramouch, ament, apish, asinine, ass, babe, bamboozle, banter, batty, be foolish, be stupid, befool, befooled, beguiled, besotted, birdbrain, blockhead, bluff, bonehead, boob, booby, brainless, buffo, buffoon, buffoonish, busybody, butt, butt in, byword, byword of reproach, cavort, cheat, chouse, chucklehead, chump, cinch, clod, clodpate, clodpoll, clown, clown around, cockeyed, come-on, comedian, comedienne, comic, con, coquet, cozen, crazy, credulous, credulous person, cretin, cull, dabble, dabbler, daffy, daft, dally, dawdle, dazed, deceive, defraud, delude, derision, dilettante, dimwit, dizzy, dolt, donkey, doodle, dope, doting, droll, dumb, dumbbell, dummy, dunce, dupe, easy mark, easy pickings, entertainer, fair game, fake, fake out, fall guy, farceur, fatuitous, fatuous, featherbrain, featherhead, feign, fiddle, fiddle with, fiddle-faddle, fidget with, figure of fun, finger with, fish, flaky, fleece, flirt, fond, fool around, fool with, foolheaded, foolish, footle, fribble, frivol, frolic, fuddled, futile, gaga, gambol, game, gazingstock, get funny, git, go haywire, goat, gobe-mouches, goofy, goon, goose, greener, greenhorn, greeny, gudgeon, gull, gulled, half-wit, harlequin, hoax, hoodwink, horn in, horse around, humbug, idiot, idiotic, idle, ignoramus, illiterate, illiterati, imbecile, inane, inept, infatuated, innocent, insane, instrument, interfere, interlope, intermeddle, invite ridicule, jack-pudding, jackass, jay, jerk, jerk off, jest, jester, jestingstock, joke, joker, jokester, josh, kid, kid around, know-nothing, kooky, laughingstock, lead on, leadpipe cinch, loiter, loon, loony, loser, lowbrow, mad, madman, make, make believe, mark, maudlin, meddle with, merry-andrew, mess around, middlebrow, mislead, mockery, monkey, monkey around, monkey with, mooncalf, moron, moronic, motley, motley fool, mug, natural, nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit, nitwit, no scholar, numskull, nutty, oaf, patsy, pickle-herring, piddle, pigeon, pinhead, play, play around, play the buffoon, play the fool, play with, plaything, pluck, poop, potter, pretend, prize sap, puddinghead, pushover, put one on, putter, rattlebrain, retard, romp, sap, saphead, sappy, scatterbrain, schlemiel, schmuck, screwy, senseless, sentimental, silly, simple, simpleton, sitting duck, smatter, snow, softhead, spoof, stock, stooge, string along, stupid, sucker, swindle, take in, tamper, tamper with, target, tease, tenderfoot, thoughtless, tinker, tomfool, tool, toy, toy with, trick, trifle, trifle with, trusting soul, twiddle, twist, twit, unintelligentsia, victim, wacky, wanton, wet, witless, zany

ROGET THESAURUS

Fool

Unskillfulness

N unskillfulness, want of skill, incompetence, incompentency, inability, infelicity, indexterity, inexperience, disqualification, unproficiency, quackery, folly, stupidity indiscretion, thoughtlessness, sabotage, mismanagement, misconduct, impolicy, maladministration, misrule, misgovernment, misapplication, misdirection, misfeasance, petticoat government, absence of rule, rule of thumb, bungling, failure, screw loose: too many cooks, blunder, etourderie gaucherie, act of folly, balourdise, botch, botchery, bad job, sad work, sprat sent out to catch a whale, much ado about nothing, wild- goose chase, bungler, fool, unskillful, inexpert, bungling, awkward, clumsy, unhandy, lubberly, gauche, maladroit, left-handed, heavy-handed, slovenly, slatternly, gawky, adrift, at fault, inapt, unapt, inhabile, untractable, unteachable, giddy, inconsiderate, stupid inactive, incompetent, unqualified, disqualified, ill-qualified, unfit, quackish, raw, green, inexperienced, rusty, out of practice, unaccustomed, unused, untrained &c, uninitiated, unconversant, shiftless, unstatesmanlike, unadvised, ill-advised, misadvised, ill-devised, ill-imagined, ill-judged, ill-contrived, ill-conducted, unguided, misguided, misconducted, foolish, wild, infelicitous, penny wise and pound foolish, one's fingers being all thumbs, the right hand forgets its cunning, il se noyerait dans une goutte d'eau, incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim, out of the frying pan into the fire, non omnia possumus omnes.

Humorist

N humorist, wag, wit, reparteeist, epigrammatist, punster, bel esprit, life of the party, wit-snapper, wit-cracker, wit- worm, joker, jester, Joe Miller, drole de corps, gaillard, spark, bon diable, practical joker, buffoon, farceur, merry-andrew, mime, tumbler, acrobat, mountebank, charlatan, posturemaster, harlequin, punch, pulcinella, scaramouch, clown, wearer of the cap and bells, wearer of the motley, motley fool, pantaloon, gypsy, jack-pudding, jack in the green, jack a dandy, wiseacre, wise guy, smartass, fool, zany, madcap, pickle-herring, witling, caricaturist, grimacier, persifleur.

Disrespect

VB hold in disrespect, misprize, disregard, slight, trifle with, set at naught, pass by, push aside, overlook, turn one's back upon, laugh in one's sleeve, be disrespectful, be discourteous, treat with disrespect, set down, put down, browbeat, dishonor, desecrate, insult, affront, outrage, speak slightingly of, disparage, vilipend, vilify, call names, throw dirt, fling dirt, drag through the mud, point at, indulge in personalities, make mouths, make faces, bite the thumb, take by the beard, pluck by the beard, toss in a blanket, tar and feather, have in derision, hold in derision, deride, scoff, barrack, sneer, laugh at, snigger, ridicule, gibe, mock, jeer, hiss, hoot, taunt, twit, niggle, gleek, gird, flout, fleer, roast, turn into ridicule, burlesque, laugh to scorn, smoke, fool, make game of, make a fool of, make an April fool of, play a practical joke, lead one a dance, run the rig upon, have a fling at, scout, mob.

Absence or want of Intellect

N absence of Intellect, want of intellect, imbecility brutality, brute force, instinct, brute instinct, stimulus-response loop, conditioned response, instinctive reaction, Pavlovian response, mimicry, aping (imitation), moron, imbecile, idiot, fool, dumb animal, vegetable, brain dead, Adj, unendowed with reason, void of reason, thoughtless, vegetative, moronic, idiotic, brainless, Adv, instinctively, like Pavlov's dog, vegetatively, unendowed with reason, void of reason, thoughtless, vegetative, moronic, idiotic, brainless, instinctively, like Pavlov's dog, vegetatively, V, mimic, ape (imitate), respond instinctively.

Ignoramus

N ignoramus, dunce, wooden spoon, no scholar, (imbecility) 499 (folly) 501 moron, imbecile, idiot, fool, jerk, nincompoop, asshole, dilettante, sciolist, smatterer, dabbler, half scholar, charlatan, wiseacre, greenhorn, amateur, novice, tyro, numskull, lubber, fool, pedant, bookless, shallow, ignorant, a wit with dunces and a dunce with wits, ignoramus, dunce, wooden spoon, no scholar, (imbecility) 499 (folly) 501 moron, imbecile, idiot, fool, jerk, nincompoop, asshole, dilettante, sciolist, smatterer, dabbler, half scholar, charlatan, wiseacre, greenhorn, amateur, novice, tyro, numskull, lubber, fool, pedant, bookless, shallow, ignorant, a wit with dunces and a dunce with wits.

Fool

N fool, idiot, tomfool, wiseacre, simpleton, witling, dizzard, donkey, ass, ninny, ninnyhammer, chowderhead, chucklehead, dolt, booby, Tom Noddy, looby, hoddy-doddy, noddy, nonny, noodle, nizy, owl, goose, goosecap, imbecile, gaby, radoteur, nincompoop, badaud, zany, trifler, babbler, pretty fellow, natural, niais, child, baby, infant, innocent, milksop, sop, oaf, lout, loon, lown, dullard, doodle, calf, colt, buzzard, block, put, stick, stock, numps, tony, bull head, dunderhead, addlehead, blockhead, dullhead, loggerhead, jolthead, jolterhead, beetlehead, beetlebrain, grosshead, muttonhead, noodlehead, giddyhead, numbskull, thickskull, lackbrain, shallowbrain, dimwit, halfwit, lackwit, dunderpate, lunkhead sawney, gowk, clod, clod-hopper, clod-poll, clot-poll, clot-pate, bull calf, gawk, Gothamite, lummox, rube, men of Boeotia, wise men of Gotham, un sot a triple etage, sot, jobbernowl, changeling, mooncalf, gobemouche, dotard, driveler, old fogey, old woman, crock, crone, grandmother, cotquean, henhussy, incompetent (insanity), greenhorn, dunce, lubber, madman, one who will not set the Thames on fire, one who did not invent gunpowder, qui n'a pas invente' la poudre, no conjuror, fortuna favet fatuis, les fous font les festinas et les sages les mangen, nomina stultorum parietibus harrent, stultorum plena sunt omnia.

Deception

VB deceive, take in, defraud, cheat, jockey, do, cozen, diddle, nab, chouse, play one false, bilk, cully, jilt, bite, pluck, swindle, victimize, abuse, mystify, blind one's eyes, blindfold, hoodwink, throw dust into the eyes, dupe, gull, hoax, fool, befool, bamboozle, flimflam, hornswoggle, trick, impose upon, practice upon, play upon, put upon, palm off on, palm upon, foist upon, snatch a verdict, bluff off, bluff, bunko, four flush, gum, spoof, stuff (a ballot box), circumvent, overreach, outreach, out wit, out maneuver, steal a march upon, give the go-by, to leave in the lurch decoy, waylay, lure, beguile, delude, inveigle, entrap, intrap, ensnare, nick, springe, set a trap, lay a trap, lay a snare for, bait the hook, forelay, spread the toils, lime, trapan, trepan, kidnap, let in, hook in, nousle, nousel, blind a trail, enmesh, immesh, shanghai, catch, catch in a trap, sniggle, entangle, illaqueate, hocus, escamoter, practice on one's credulity, hum, humbug, gammon, stuff up, sell, play a trick upon one, play a practical joke upon one, put something over on one, put one over on, balk, trip up, throw a tub to a whale, fool to the top of one's bent, send on a fool's errand, make game, make a fool of, make an April fool of, make an ass of, trifle with, cajole, flatter, come over, gild the pill, make things pleasant, divert, put a good face upon, dissemble, cog, cog the dice, load the dice, stack the deck, live by one's wits, play at hide and seek, obtain money under false pretenses, conjure, juggle, practice chicanery, deacon, play off, palm off, foist off, fob-off, lie, misinform, mislead, betray, be deceived.

Dupe

N dupe, gull, gudgeon, gobemouche, cull, cully, victim, pigeon, April fool, jay, sucker, laughingstock, Cyclops, simple Simon, flat, greenhorn, fool, puppet, cat's paw, credulous, mistaken.