fool

n. [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. Franklin. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Ps. xiv. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments. [ 1913 Webster ]

Can they think me . . . their fool or jester? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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.” 1 Sam. xxvi. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. fouler to tread, crush. Cf. 1st Foil. ] A compound of gooseberries scalded and crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fooled p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling. ] To play the fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To waste time in unproductive activity; to spend time in idle sport or mirth; to trifle; to toy.
Syn. -- fool around. [ PJC ]

Is this a time for fooling? Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl.; sing. Foolah. (Ethnol.) Same as Fulahs. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fooled around p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling around. ] 1. To waste time in idle pursuits; to fool{ 2 }.
Syn. -- fool{ 2 }. [ PJC ]

2. To flirt or philander. RHUDbr/ [ PJC ]

3. To be sexually promiscuous; to engage in sexual intercourse with more than one partner; especially, to engage in adultery; as, to fool around with another woman. [ PJC ]

v. t. To manipulate (a machine or device) without proper knowledge of its operation; to experiment aimlessly with a device; as, don't fool around with the transit. [ PJC ]

a. Begotten by a fool. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Fooleries 1. The practice of folly; the behavior of a fool; foolish behavior; absurdity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Folly in fools bears not so strong a note,
As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An act of folly or weakness; a foolish practice; something absurd or nonsensical. [ 1913 Webster ]

That Pythagoras, Plato, or Orpheus, believed in any of these fooleries, it can not be suspected. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]