Fool sb.¹ and a.

Forms: 3–4 fol, (3 folle), 3–6 fole, (4 foyl), 4–6 foul(e, (4 fowle), 4–7 foole, (6 foolle), 4–9 Sc. fule, 5–6 full(e, 5–7 Sc. fuil(l, -yll, (5 fwle), 4– fool. [ME. fōl sb. and adj., ad. OF. fol sb. and adj. (mod.F. fou sb., insane person, madman, fou adj. masc., before vowel fol, fem. folle), corresponding to Pr. fol, folh, It. folle:—L. follem, follis, lit. ‘bellows,’ but in late popular Lat. employed in the sense of ‘wind-bag,’ empty-headed person, fool.]

  A.  sb.

  I.  1. One deficient in judgment or sense, one who acts or behaves stupidly, a silly person, a simpleton. (In Biblical use applied to vicious or impious persons.)

  The word has in mod. Eng. a much stronger sense than it had at an earlier period; it has now an implication of insulting contempt which does not in the same degree belong to any of its synonyms, or to the derivative foolish. Cf. F. sot.

c. 1275.  Lay., 1442. Cniþt þou art mochel fol.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 126. Elles es he a fole and noght wise.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xvii. (1495), 203. Telle a fole his defawte, and he shall hate the.

1481.  Caxton, Godfrey, xxv. 57. There ben more fooles than wysemen.

a. 1550.  Christis Kirke Gr., xxii.

1612.  Dekker, If it be not good, The Proologue, Wks. 1873, III. 263.

1709.  Pope, Ess. Crit., 625. For Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.

1773.  Mrs. Chapone, Improv. Mind (1774), II. 111. Unless you improve your mind whilst you are young, you also will be an insignificant fool in old age—and that, if you are presuming and arrogant in youth, you are as ridiculous as an old woman with a head-dress of flowers.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., xliii. ‘Mony a wise man sits in a fule’s seat, and mony a fule in a wise man’s, especially in families of distinction.’

1881.  Besant & Rice, Chapl. Fleet, I. 144. No doubt, there have been fools before, and truly it helpeth a fool no whit to show him his folly.

  b.  Phrase. To be a fool to: to be every way inferior to, to be as nothing compared to.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 150. Gre. Tut, she’s a Lambe, a Doue, a foole to him.

1791.  ‘G. Gambado,’ Ann. Horsem., xvii. (1809), 137. Childers would have been a fool to him.

1885.  Rider Haggard, K. Solomon’s Mines, v. 79. The Black Hole of Calcutta must have been a fool to it; indeed, to this moment I do not know how we lived through the day.

  † c.  Used as a term of endearment or pity. Obs.

1520.  Calisto & Melib., in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 71. Cel. How say ye now by this, little young fool?

a. 1586.  Sidney, Astrophel & Stella, lxxiii.

1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., II. i. 118.

  d.  In various proverbial expressions.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 5265.

1539.  Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1552), 4. A foles bolt is soone shotte.

1546.  J. Heywood, Prov. (1867), 46. There is no foole to the olde foole.

1563.  R. Googe, Epit. N. Grimaold, Eglogs, etc. (Arb.), 74.

1606.  Holland, Sueton., Annot. 16. Whereupon might arise our English proverbe, A foole or a physition.

1645.  Howell, Lett., I. V. xxxix. A fool and his money is soon parted.

1670.  Ray, Prov., 91. Fools build houses, and wise men buy them.

1721.  J. Kelly, Scot. Prov., 101. Every Man at thirty is a Fool or a Physician. He is a Fool who at that Age knows not his Constitution.

  2.  One who professionally counterfeits folly for the entertainment of others, a jester, clown.

  The ‘fool’ in great households was often actually a harmless lunatic or a person of weak intellect, so that this sense and sense 4 are often hard to distinguish.

1370[?].  Robert Cicyle, in Nugæ Poet. (1844), 54.

c. 1440.  Ipomydon, 1643.

1532.  Privy Purse Exp. Hen. VIII., 205. For making of gere for the kinges fole xxx s.

1609.  Dekker, Gulls Horne-bk., Proem. Wks. (Grosart), II. 205. He may be promoted to serue any Lord in Europe, as his crafty foole, or his bawdy Jester, yea and to be so deere to his Lordship, as for the excellency of his fooling, to be admitted both to ride in Coach with him, and to lie at his very feete on a truckle-bed.

1651.  Brome, Joviall Crew, V. Wks. 1873, III. 451. Old. Except it be at Court, Boy; where if ever I come, it shall be to beg the next Fool-Royal’s place that falls.

1691.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 311. The famous Mr. Graham, the fool in King James time, is dead also.

1847.  L. Hunt, Jar Honey, vi. (1848), 75. He had all the humiliations, without any of the privileges, of the cap and bells, and was the dullest fool ever heard of.

  b.  To play the fool: to act the part of a fool or jester; hence gen. to act like a fool (sense 1).

c. 1531.  Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 939. To plee the fole, baguenauder.

1579.  Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 295. He playeth the foole with that bable.

1659–60.  Pepys, Diary, 28 Feb. I staid up a little while, playing the fool with the lass of the house at the door of the chamber, and so to bed.

1722.  De Foe, Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 26. I advise you not to play the fool with me any longer.

1847.  G. P. R. James, J. Marston Hall, I. viii. 57. The parliament was playing the fool in Paris, and yet sacrificing the country to the nicest calculations of its own interest.

  c.  Feast of Fools [ = med.L. festum stultorum]: properly the burlesque festival which in the Middle Ages was sometimes celebrated in churches on New Year’s Day; hence in various allusive uses.

c. 1320.  The Seuyn Sages (W.), 2747.

1609.  Dekker, Gulls Horne-bk., Proem. Wks. (Grosart), II. 209. To the intent I may aptly furnish this feast of Fooles.

  3.  One who is made to appear a fool; one who is imposed on by others; a dupe. Now somewhat arch., exc. in phrases to make a fool of (formerly also † to put the fool on), to dupe, befool; to be a fool for one’s pains, to have one’s labor for nothing.

c. 1440.  Jacob’s Well, 81. A nunne, þat, for loue of crist, lefte pride, & toke lownes, & made here as a fool, & obeyid here to alle here sustren as here fool.

1579.  Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 89. Bicause I was content to be his friend, thought he me meete to be made his foole?

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. i. 141. Rom. O! I am Fortunes foole.

1625.  Cooke, Pope Joan, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), IV. 28. Either Bernartius belyed the alderman, or the alderman belyed the dean, or the dean made a fool of the alderman.

a. 1684.  Leighton, Comm. 1 Peter x. 3. Worldly Hopes doe thus, they put the fool upon a Man, when he hath judged himself sure, and laid so much weight and expectation on them.

1715.  De Foe, Fam. Instruct., I. iv. (1841), I. 78. Sist. You may tell me if you will, though I don’t much care, I won’t be made a fool of.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., iv.

Mod.  He is the fool of circumstances.

  † 4.  One who is deficient in, or destitute of reason or intellect; a weak-minded or idiotic person. Obs. exc. in natural or born fool, a born idiot (now rare exc. as a mere term of abuse). To beg (a person) for a fool; see BEG 5 a.

1540.  Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 46. Ideottes and fooles naturall.

1566.  Nashe, Saffron Walden, C iv b. Fooles, ye know, alwaies for the most part (especiallie if they bee naturall fooles) are suted in long coates.

1601.  Shaks., All’s Well that ends Well, IV. iii. 213. He was whipt for getting the Shrieues fool with childe, a dumbe innocent that could not say him nay.

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., 37. The warde and custodie of lands and tenements perteining to naturall fuilis, be the law sould perteine to the King.

1670.  Lassels, Voy. Italy, II. 212. I went to the Pazzorella, where they keep madmen and fools; and saw there strange variety of humours in folly: yet I was pleased to see with what charity and care those poor men were tended there.

1708.  Ockley, Saracens (Bohn, 1848), 326. Towards the latter end of his days he did really turn fool, and was always calling for his sword, which his friends perceiving, gave him one made of wood.

1812.  Maria Joseph Crabb, Tales, 111. At last he became well in his health;—but he remained quite a fool for the rest of his life!

  II.  In combinations.

  5.  General combinations; a. simple attributive, as fool-cunningness, trap, -work.

a. 1834.  Coleridge, Lit. Rem., III. 198. This conceit of dignifying dignities by the Simoniacal prostitution of them to blood-royal was just suited to James’s *fool-cunningness.

1691.  Dryden, K. Arthur, Prologue, 27.

1883.  W. Rein, Life Luther, xxii. 178. Luther said, ‘You are not in earnest about calling a council; it is only sport on your part. But even if a council should be held, you would simply talk about hoods and tonsure, eating and drinking, and similar *fool-work, which we all know beforehand, and which amounts to nothing.’

  b.  appositive. as fool-dancer, -fury, -gallant.

1887.  D. C. Murray & Herman, One Trav. Returns, vii. 100. Here and there again a *fool-dancer, in his ochre-smeared kilt and head-dress, with face and body lined with ochre and charcoal, sprang and contorted for a reward of meat and beer.

1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., cxxvii.

1714.  Pope, Wife Bath, Prologue, 94.

  c.  objective, as fool-catcher, -doctor, -taker; fool-frighting adj.

1594.  Nashe, Vnfort. Trav., Wks. (Grosart), V. 39. They … in fine, left mee & my fellowes (their *foole-catchers) Lords of the field.

a. 1624.  Breton, Figure Foure (Grosart), 5/2. There are foure close-catchers in the world: a Rat-catcher, a Moule-cather, a Foole-catcher, and a Cony-catcher.

1760.  Jortin, Erasm., II. 170. None are greater Fools than they, who set up for *Fool-Doctors in the grand hospital of incurables.

a. 1720.  Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), I. 177.

1592.  Nashe, Strange Newes, Ep. Ded., Wks. (Grosart), II. 177. Nor do I meane to present him and Shakerley to the Queens *foole-taker for coatch-horses.

  d.  instrumental and originative, as fool-born, -frequented, -renowned adjs.

1597.  Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. v. 59.

1780.  Cowper, Table-t., 756.

1728.  Pope, The Dunciad, IV. 371.

  e.  similative, as fool-bold, -fat, -fine, -heady, -holy adjs.; fool-like, fool-wisely advs. (Some of these imitate FOOLHARDY, and may perhaps better be referred to the adj.)

1549.  Leland, Itin., F iij b. Some in corners hath bene *folebolde, as hath wele apered by that wytlesse monstre whyche made the laste wylle of heresye.

1613.  Chapman, Rev. Bussy D’Ambois, Plays, 1873, II. 113.

1593–4.  Sylvester, Profit Imprisonm., 637.

1603.  H. Crosse, Vertue’s Commonwealth (1878), 64. We see that plaine Corydon, that hath no more wit then to knowe the price of Sattin and Veluet, and toies to make him *foole-fine, cannot be content to hold the plough.

1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. i. § 5. 184. Begging pardon for his *foole-heady forwardnesse, Cæsar both forgaue him, and rewarded his valour with the honour of a Centurion.

1592.  Greene, Groatsw. Wit, B iij. So *foole holy as to make scruple of conscience where profit presents itselfe.

1842.  Whitehead, R. Savage (1845), Wks. II. viii. 286. *Fool-like, I forgot myself, and must needs, for a moment, talk the world’s language.

1605.  Camden, Rem. (1637), 84. But *foole-wisely have some Peters, called themselves Pierius.

1611.  W. Sclater, Key (1629), 111. Some of them resoluing, foole wisely, that images are to be worshipped.

  6.  Special comb., as fool-bane, poison for fools; fool-begged a., ? foolish, idiotic (cf. BEG 5 a); fool-duck (U.S.), the ruddy duck, Erismatura rubida; † fool-fangle, a silly trifle; † fool-finder, slang (see quot.); fool-fish (U.S.), a popular name for certain fishes (see quots.); † fool-happy a., lucky without judgment or contrivance; fool-hen (U.S.), see quot.; fool-plough (see quot. 1777); † fool- or fool’s-rack. ‘a … pernicious spirit, in which … the stinging sea-blubber was mixed’ (Yule); † fool-taken a., ‘taken in’ like fools; † fool-taking vbl. sb., a method of cozening.

1679.  Dryden, Troilus & Cr., Epilogue, 9.

1590.  Shaks., Com. Err., II. i. 40.

1647.  Ward, The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America, 30. These Ape-headed pullets, which invent Antique *foole-fangles, meerly for fashion and novelty sake.

1796.  Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue (ed. 3). *Fool finder, a bailiff.

1842.  De Kay, Zoology of New-York, IV. 335. Our fishermen apply to it [Monocanthus broccus] the whimsical name of *Fool-fish, in allusion to what they consider its absurd mode of swimming with a wriggling motion, its body being sunk, and its mouth just on a level with the water.

1888.  Riverside Nat. Hist., III. 279. The Pleuronectes glaber, which is called fool-fish at Salem, because they are easily decoyed and bite even at a rag.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., I. vi. 1.

1885.  T. Roosevelt, Hunting Trips, iii. 90. In the early part of the season the young [grouse], and indeed their parents also, are tame and unsuspicious to the very verge of stupidity, and at this time are often known by the name of *‘fool-hens’ among the frontiers-men.

1777.  Brand, Pop. Antiq., xiv. 175–6. The *Fool Plough goes about, a Pageant that consists of a Number of Sword Dancers, dragging a Plough, with Music, [etc.].

1698.  J. Fryer, A New Account of East-India and Persia, 68. Among the worst of these, *Fool Rack, (Brandy made of Blubber, or Carvil, by the Portugals).

1608.  Dekker, Belman Lond., H iv b. *The fourth Iump is called *Fooletaking, and that is done seuerall waies [described at length]. Ibid. Others are *Foole-taken by letting chambers to fellowes like seruingmen.

  7.  Comb. with genitive fool’s: a. obvious combinations (sense 2), as fool’s ba(u)ble, -colours, -staff. Also in phr. † to come home by Fool’s acre.

1603.  H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 63. What get they in the end after their long suites, saue a flap with a Foxe-taile (as the saying is) and come home by Need-ham crosse, and *fooles acre, then crye out, might ouercomes right.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, III. lxxix. 428. Fashioned like a *fooles bable.

1728.  Pope, The Dunciad, I. 81.

1692.  Washington, trans. Milton’s Def. Pop., Pref. (1851), 17. You silly Logerhead, deserve to have your Bones well-thrash’d with a *Fool’s staff, for thinking to stir up Kings and Princes to War by such Childish Arguments.

  b.  Special comb., as fool’s crochet (see quot.); fool’s errand: see ERRAND 2 c; † fools fire, a will o’-the-wisp, Ignis fatuus; fool’s gold, iron pyrites; fool’s haste, foolish precipitation; fool’s-head, a head void of sense or intelligence; also, a foolish person; (cf. sheep’s-head); fool’s hood, the hood worn by a fool or jester; also, a hood resembling this, worn in the seventeenth century; fool’s mate (Chess): see MATE. Also FOOLSCAP, FOOL’S-COAT, FOOL’S PARADISE.

1882.  Caulfeild & Saward, Dict. Needlework, *Fool’s Crochet.—A name sometimes given to Tricot.

1631.  Widdowes, Nat. Philos. (ed. 2), 16. Fiery Dragons, darke streames, *fooles fire, and such like fiery meteors.

1882.  Boston Jrnl. Chem., XVI. Feb. 16/3. Nine times out of ten, at least, this yellow material is a sulphide of iron, to which, for this very reason, the name has been given that heads our article,—*‘fool’s gold.’

1827.  Scott, Jrnl., 12 Jan. I wish it may not prove *fool’s haste, yet I take as much pains too as is in my nature.

1577.  Breton, Floorish vpon Fancie, etc. (Grosart), 24/2.

1598.  Shaks., Merry W., I. iv. 134. Qui. You shall haue An-fooles head of your owne.

1650.  R. Stapylton, Strada’s The History of the Low-Countrey Warres, IV. 78. They interpreted the fools coats to signifie, that the Low-countrey Lords were not fools heads.

1597.  Gerard, Herball, I. xcix. 159. In shape like to a *fooles hood or cocks-combe wide open.

1647.  R. Stapylton, Juvenal, VIII. 191.

  c.  esp. in plant-names, as † fool’s ballocks, an old name for Orchis Morio; fool’s cicely = fool’s parsley; fool’s (water) cress (see quot. 1878); fool’s parsley, a poisonous weed, the Lesser Hemlock (Æthusa Cynapium); hence, a book-name of the genus Æthusa; † fool’s stones, an old name for Orchis Morio and O. mascula.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. lvi. 222. This second kinde [of Orchis] is called … in English … *Fooles Balloxe.

1796.  Withering, Brit. Plants (ed. 3), II. 304–5. Æthusa Cynapium … *Fool’s Parsley, or Cicely. Lesser Hemlock.

1861.  Mrs. Lankester, Wild Flowers, 31. It [Common Water-cress] is very likely to be confounded with a poisonous plant with which it grows, the *Fool’s Cress, as it is called (Sium nodiflorum).

1878.  Britten & Holland, Plant-n. Fool’s Water Cress. Helosciadium nodiflorum.… Because those who are ignorant or unobservant may mistake it for watercress.

1755.  Gentl. Mag., XXV. Feb., 69/1. The lesser Hemlock, or *Fool’s Parsley.

1816–20.  T. Green, Univ. Herbal, I. 65. Æthusa Fatua; Fine-leaved Fool’s Parsley.

1597.  Gerard, Herball, I. xcix. § 5. 159. The male *Foole stones hath fiue, sometimes sixe, long broad and smooth leaues, not unlike to those of the Lillie. Ibid. The female Fools stones hath also smooth narrow leaues, ribbed with nerues like those of Plantaine.

  B.  adj. Foolish, silly. Obs. exc. Sc. and dial. and vulgar (the recent vulgar use being prob. a new formation from the sb.).

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 54. Þe holi Gost lette writen one boc uor to warnie wummen of hore fol eien.

a. 1240.  Ureisun, in Cott. Hom., 200. Me nis he fol chepmon, ðet buð deore a woc þing?

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 568. Þis lokinge was riȝt fol in such destresse iwis.

c. 1314.  Guy Warw. (A.), 380. 10.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13841. Hit fell hym by fortune of a foole end.

c. 1450.  Mirour Saluacioun, 271. The wise virgines ^t oele vnto the fole maydens denyed.

1481.  Caxton, Tulle of Old Age. Olde age is grevous & danugerous to the fole olde man.

1541.  R. Copland, Galyen’s Terapeutyke, 2 D j. O foole and imprudent Thessalus.

1589.  R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1590), 22. Let the wisest be the forwardest, and the most foole the frowardest.

1681.  Colvil, Whigs Supplic. (1751), 130.

a. 1776.  Song, in Herd, Collect., II. 192.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xxxix. ‘If she had been but a lad-bairn, they couldna hae sell’d the auld inheritance for that fool-body’s debts.’

1823.  Galt, Entail, II. iii. 22. What for will I haud my tongue? A fool posture that would be, and no very commodious at this time, for ye see my fingers are coomy.