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
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
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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