Part 254

Fool, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fooled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Fooling.] To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.

Is this a time for fooling?

Dryden.

Fool, v. t. 1. To infatuate; to make foolish. Shak.

For, fooled with hope, men favor the deceit.

Dryden.

2. To use as a fool; to deceive in a shameful or mortifying manner; to impose upon; to cheat by inspiring foolish confidence; as, to fool one out of his money.

You are fooled, discarded, and shook off By him for whom these shames ye underwent.

Shak.

To fool away, to get rid of foolishly; to spend in trifles, idleness, folly, or without advantage.

Foo"lahs` (?), n. pl.; sing. Foolah. (Ethnol.) Same as Fulahs.

Fool"-born` (?), a. Begotten by a fool. Shak.

Fool"er*y (?), n.; pl. Fooleries (&?;). 1. The practice of folly; the behavior of a fool; absurdity.

Folly in fools bears not so strong a note, As foolery in the wise, when wit doth dote.

Shak.

2. An act of folly or weakness; a foolish practice; something absurd or nonsensical.

That Pythagoras, Plato, or Orpheus, believed in any of these fooleries, it can not be suspected.

Sir W. Raleigh.

Fool"fish` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) (a) The orange filefish. See Filefish. (b) The winter flounder. See Flounder.

Fool"-hap`py (?), a. Lucky, without judgment or contrivance. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fool"har`di*hood (?), n. The state of being foolhardy; foolhardiness.

Fool"har`di*ly, adv. In a foolhardy manner.

Fool"har`di*ness, n. Courage without sense or judgment; foolish rashness; recklessness. Dryden.

Fool"har`dise (?), n. [Fool, F. fol, fou + F. hardiesse boldness.] Foolhardiness. [Obs.] Spenser.

Fool"har`dy (?), a. [OF. folhardi. See Fool idiot, and Hardy.] Daring without judgment; foolishly adventurous and bold. Howell.

Syn. -- Rash; venturesome; venturous; precipitate; reckless; headlong; incautious. See Rash.

Fool"-has`ty (?), a. Foolishly hasty. [R.]

Fool"i*fy (?), v. t. [Fool + -fy.] To make a fool of; to befool. [R.] Holland.