Fool

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fuːl/
• Rhymes: -uːl
• Rhymes: -ÊŠÉ™l

Origin

From Middle English fōl ("fool"), from Old French fol (French fou ("mad")) from Latin follis.

fool in: T. F. Hoad, Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 978-0-19-283098-8

Full definition of fool

Noun

1. (pejorative) A person with poor judgment or little intelligence.You were a fool to cross that busy road without looking.The village fool threw his own shoes down the well.
• FranklinExperience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
2. (historical) A jester; a person whose role was to entertain a sovereign and the court (or lower personages).
3. (informal) Someone who derives pleasure from something specified.
• MiltonCan they think me ... their fool or jester?
• 1975, Foghat, "Fool for the City" (song), Fool for the City (album):I'm a fool for the city.
4. (cooking) A type of dessert made of puréed fruit and custard or cream.an apricot fool; a gooseberry fool
5. (often capitalized, Fool) A particular card in a tarot deck.

Synonyms

• (person with poor judgment) See also
• (person who entertained a sovereign) jester, joker
• (person who talks a lot of nonsense) gobshite

Verb

1. To trick; to make a fool of someone.
2. To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.
• DrydenIs this a time for fooling?

Synonyms

Derived terms