To make a fool of

To make a fool of
Fool 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 ({[AE]thusa 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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • make a fool of yourself — phrase to make yourself seem stupid by behaving in a silly or embarrassing way He made a fool of himself by turning up drunk to a TV chat show. Thesaurus: to behave in a silly waysynonym to be, or to become ashamed or embarrassedsynonym… …   Useful english dictionary

  • make a fool of — 1. To cause (someone) to look ridiculous or stupid 2. To humiliate or dupe 3. To disappoint • • • Main Entry: ↑fool make a fool of see under ↑fool1 • • • Main Entry: ↑make * * * …   Useful english dictionary

  • make a fool of yourself — make a fool of (yourself) to do something which makes you appear ridiculous. If you re afraid to make a fool of yourself, you will never be a successful performer. My former husband thought it was fun to make a fool of me. Related vocabulary:… …   New idioms dictionary

  • make a fool of — (yourself) to do something which makes you appear ridiculous. If you re afraid to make a fool of yourself, you will never be a successful performer. My former husband thought it was fun to make a fool of me. Related vocabulary: make a spectacle… …   New idioms dictionary

  • make a fool (out) of someone — phrase to deliberately make someone seem stupid, for example by tricking them I felt that Sally had made a complete fool of me. Thesaurus: to cheat or trick someonesynonym Main entry: fool …   Useful english dictionary

  • make a fool out of — make a fool (out) of : to cause (someone) to look stupid or foolish She made a fool of me by insulting me in front of my friends. • • • Main Entry: ↑fool …   Useful english dictionary

  • make a fool of somebody — make a ˈfool of sb idiom to say or do sth deliberately so that people will think that sb is stupid • Can t you see she s making a fool of you? • I will not be made a fool of like this. Main entry: ↑foolidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • make a fool of — index delude, dupe, hoodwink, humiliate, illude, mock (deride) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …   Law dictionary

  • make a fool of — trick or deceive (someone) so that they look foolish. ↘(make a fool of oneself) appear foolish through incompetent or inappropriate behaviour. → fool …   English new terms dictionary

  • make a fool of — make fun of, mock, laugh at …   English contemporary dictionary

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