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