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Fool   /ful/   Listen
noun
Fool  n.  A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; commonly called gooseberry fool.


Fool  n.  
1.
One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.
2.
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. " Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools." " Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other."
3.
(Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person. " The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."
4.
One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments. " Can they think me... their fool or jester?"
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 (Aethusa 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 foolishly; to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. "I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly."


verb
Fool  v. t.  
1.
To infatuate; to make foolish. "For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit."
2.
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. "You are fooled, discarded, and shook off By him for whom these shames ye underwent."
To fool away, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.


Fool  v. i.  (past & past part. fooled; pres. part. fooling)  
1.
To play the fool.
2.
To waste time in unproductive activity; to spend time in idle sport or mirth; to trifle; to toy.
Synonyms: fool around. "Is this a time for fooling?"





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Fool" Quotes from Famous Books



... either escape or have me helpless. I aimed deliberately at him, and hit him square in the ribs. He exploded in a spit-roar that raised my hair. Directly under him I wielded my club, pounded on the tree, thrashed at the branches and, like the crazy fool that I was, ...
— Tales of lonely trails • Zane Grey
... DIPLOMAT!" he said in his most kindly jesting tone as he looked at me with his small bright eyes. "Woloda tells me you have passed the examinations well for a youngster, and that is a splendid thing. Unless you start and play the fool, I shall have another fine little fellow in you. Thanks, my dear boy. Well, we will have a grand time of it here now, and in the winter, perhaps, we shall move to St. Petersburg. I only wish the hunting was not over yet, or I could ...
— Youth • Leo Tolstoy
... not intended on setting forth for the Provinces to ruin himself, for the sake of an empty title. His motives—and he was honest, when he so avowed them—were motives of state at least as much as of self-advancement. "I have no cause," he said, "to have played the fool thus far for myself; first, to have her Majesty's displeasure, which no kingdom in the world could make me willingly deserve; next, to undo myself in my later days; to consume all that should have kept ...
— The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1555-1566 • John Lothrop Motley
... understood me, the scoundrel, for in an instant I felt a cold ring of steel against my ear, and a tiger clutch on my cravat. "Sit down," he said; "what a fool you are. Guess you've forgot that there coroner's business." Needless to say, I obeyed. "Best not try that again," continued my guest. "Wait a moment,"—and, rising, ...
— The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 121, November, 1867 • Various
... he takes his view, In silent indignation mixed with grief, Admires the plunder, but abhors the thief. Oh, loathed in life, nor pardoned in the dust, May Hate pursue his sacrilegious lust! 200 Linked with the fool that fired the Ephesian dome, Shall vengeance follow far beyond the tomb, [15] And Eratostratus [16] and Elgin shine In many a branding page and burning line; Alike reserved for aye to stand accursed, Perchance the second blacker than ...
— Byron's Poetical Works, Vol. 1 • Byron


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