FOOL
Dictionary entry overview: What does fool mean?
• FOOL (noun)
The noun FOOL has 3 senses:
1. a person who lacks good judgment
2. a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
3. a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the middle ages
Familiarity information: FOOL used as a noun is uncommon.
• FOOL (verb)
The verb FOOL has 4 senses:
1. make a fool or dupe of
2. spend frivolously and unwisely
3. fool or hoax
4. indulge in horseplay
Familiarity information: FOOL used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• FOOL (noun)
Meaning:
A person who lacks good judgment
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
tomfool; saphead; muggins; fool; sap
Hypernyms ("fool" is a kind of...):
simple; simpleton (a person lacking intelligence or common sense)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fool"):
ass (a pompous fool)
Wally (a silly and inept person; someone who is regarded as stupid)
putz ((Yiddish) a fool; an idiot)
morosoph (a learned fool)
meshuggeneh; meshuggener ((Yiddish) a crazy fool)
bozo; cuckoo; fathead; goof; goofball; goose; jackass; twat; zany (a man who is a stupid incompetent fool)
fucker (a stupid despised man)
flibbertigibbet; foolish woman (a female fool)
buffoon; clown (a rude or vulgar fool)
Meaning:
A person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
chump; fall guy; sucker; gull; soft touch; patsy; mug; fool; mark
Hypernyms ("fool" is a kind of...):
dupe; victim (a person who is tricked or swindled)
Meaning:
A professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the middle ages
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Synonyms:
jester; motley fool; fool
Hypernyms ("fool" is a kind of...):
buffoon; clown; merry andrew (a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior)
• FOOL (verb)
Meaning:
Make a fool or dupe of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
befool; fool; gull
Hypernyms (to "fool" is one way to...):
cozen; deceive; delude; lead on (be false to; be dishonest with)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Spend frivolously and unwisely
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
frivol away; fritter away; fritter; fool away; fool; dissipate; shoot
Context example:
Fritter away one's inheritance
Hypernyms (to "fool" is one way to...):
consume; squander; ware; waste (spend extravagantly)
"Fool" entails doing...:
consume; deplete; eat; eat up; exhaust; run through; use up; wipe out (use up (resources or materials))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Fool or hoax
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
cod; dupe; put one over; put one across; take in; slang; gull; befool; fool; put on
Context examples:
The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone / You can't fool me!
Hypernyms (to "fool" is one way to...):
betray; deceive; lead astray (cause someone to believe an untruth)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fool"):
kid; pull the leg of (tell false information to for fun)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Indulge in horseplay
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
horse around; fool around; arse around; fool
Context examples:
Enough horsing around--let's get back to work! / The bored children were fooling about
Hypernyms (to "fool" is one way to...):
jest; joke (tell a joke; speak humorously)
play (be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
