Fool's paradise

Fool's paradise
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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  • Fool's paradise — Paradise Par a*dise (p[a^]r [.a]*d[imac]s), n. [OE. & F. paradis, L. paradisus, fr. Gr. para deisos park, paradise, fr. Zend pairida[=e]za an inclosure; pairi around (akin to Gr. peri ) + diz to throw up, pile up; cf. Skr. dih to smear, and E.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fool's paradise — A fool s paradise is a false sense of happiness or success …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • fool's paradise — noun singular a situation in which someone is happy because they are ignoring a problem or do not realize that it exists …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • fool's paradise — ► NOUN ▪ a state of happiness based on not knowing about or ignoring potential trouble …   English terms dictionary

  • fool's paradise — n. a state of deceptive happiness, based on illusions or delusions …   English World dictionary

  • fool's paradise — See: LIVE IN A FOOL S PARADISE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • fool's paradise — See: LIVE IN A FOOL S PARADISE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • Fool's Paradise — Infobox Film name = Fool s Paradise image size = caption = director = Cecil B. DeMille producer = Cecil B. DeMille writer = Sada Cowan Beulah Marie Dix Leonard Merrick narrator = starring = Dorothy Dalton music = cinematography = Karl Struss… …   Wikipedia

  • fool's paradise — N SING: a N (disapproval) If you say that someone is living in a fool s paradise, you are criticizing them because they are not aware that their present happy situation is likely to change and get worse. ...living in a fool s paradise of false… …   English dictionary

  • fool's\ paradise — See: live in a fool s paradise …   Словарь американских идиом

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