FOOLING

fooling, casual

(adjective) characterized by a feeling of irresponsibility; “a broken back is nothing to be casual about; it is no fooling matter”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Verb

fooling

present participle of fool

Noun

fooling (plural foolings)

The act of one who fools.

Source: Wiktionary


FOOL

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

Definition: A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool.

Fool, n. Etym: [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.]

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. Milton. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Franklin.

3. (Script.)

Definition: One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Ps. xiv. 1.

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 Milton. 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. [imp. & p. p. Fooled; p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling.]

Definition: To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth. Is this a time for fooling Dryden.

Fool, v. t.

1. To infatuate; to make foolish. Shak. For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit. Dryden.

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

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

2 May 2024

BEQUEATH

(verb) leave or give by will after one’s death; “My aunt bequeathed me all her jewelry”; “My grandfather left me his entire estate”


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Coffee Trivia

In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.

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