fool
A person who does not think carefully and does silly or stupid things.
A person who behaves in a silly or stupid way, showing poor judgment or little common sense.
To make someone believe something that is not true, usually as a trick.
To trick or deceive someone so that they believe something that is not true.
To lie to yourself or believe something that is not true because you want it to be true.
To make yourself believe something that is not true, often because it is more pleasant than the truth.
To act in a silly or playful way and not do serious work.
To behave in a playful, silly, or unserious way, especially instead of doing something serious or important.
A sweet cold dish made from soft fruit mixed with cream or custard.
A cold dessert made from cooked or pureed fruit mixed with whipped cream or custard.
A person in old times who worked in a king’s or queen’s house, wearing funny clothes and making people laugh.
A professional entertainer, especially in a royal court, who wore bright clothes and amused people with jokes, tricks, and silly behavior.
- Base: fool
- Plural: fool, fools
- Base: fool
- 3rd Person Singular: fools
- Present Participle: fooling
- Past: fooled
a fool's paradise
1happiness based on false hope
A happy situation that is not real or will not last because it is based on false ideas.
- People who ignore climate change are living in a fool’s paradise.
- He was in a fool’s paradise, believing his debts would somehow disappear.
April Fools' Day
1April 1st joke-playing day
The first day of April (April 1st), when people often play tricks and jokes on others.
- They announced a fake engagement on April Fools’ Day.
- Be careful what you believe on April Fools’ Day.
be a fool for [something/someone]
1be very weak for something
To like something or someone very much, so that you cannot resist it or them.
- I’m a fool for chocolate; I can’t say no.
- She’s always been a fool for musicians.
be no fool
1be smart and not easily tricked
To be clever or experienced and not easy to trick or cheat.
- She’s no fool; she read the contract very carefully.
- He may seem quiet, but he’s no fool.
be nobody's fool
1not allow others to use or cheat you
To be strong and independent and not let other people cheat you or use you.
- She’s nobody’s fool and won’t sign anything without reading it.
- He’s tough, smart, and nobody’s fool.
fool about
1behave in a silly way (BrE)
To act in a silly or playful way and not do serious work, used mainly in British English.
- They were fooling about in the office when the boss walked in.
- Stop fooling about and get dressed; we’re late.
fool around with [someone]
1have a casual sexual relationship
To have a sexual relationship with someone that is not serious, often secret or outside a main relationship.
- She found out he’d been fooling around with a coworker.
- He admitted he had fooled around with someone else while they were dating.
fool around with [something]
1handle or experiment casually with something
To touch or use something in a casual way, often just to see how it works or for fun, not for a serious reason.
- He likes to fool around with old radios and fix them.
- They spent the evening fooling around with a new music app.
fool someone into [doing something]
1trick someone into doing something
To trick someone so that they do something they would not normally do.
- The email tried to fool people into giving their bank details.
- She fooled him into signing the form without reading it.
fool with
1handle or change something carelessly
To touch or use something in a careless way that could cause problems or be dangerous.
- Don’t fool with that knife; it’s very sharp.
- He likes to fool with the settings on his computer and break things.
fool's gold
1yellow mineral that looks like gold
A shiny yellow mineral that looks like real gold but is not valuable; also, something that seems good but is not really good.
- Prospectors sometimes mistook pyrite for fool’s gold.
- For many investors, the promise of easy money turned out to be fool’s gold.
fools rush in
1foolish people act without thinking
Used to say that silly or inexperienced people act too fast without thinking about the risks.
- He proposed after only two weeks—fools rush in, as they say.
- Invest now if you want, but remember: fools rush in.
like a fool
1in a silly or stupid way
In a way that makes you look silly or not sensible.
- I waited for him for two hours like a fool.
- She believed every word he said, like a fool.
make a fool of yourself
1act so you seem stupid
To do something that makes you look silly or stupid in front of other people.
- Don’t drink too much at the party or you’ll make a fool of yourself.
- He made a fool of himself by shouting at the wrong person.
fool around
1behave in a playful, unserious way
To act in a silly or playful way and not do serious work or tasks.
- The kids were fooling around instead of studying.
- Stop fooling around and help me clean the kitchen.
- They fooled around for a few months before breaking up.
- They spent the afternoon fooling around in the park instead of studying.
play the fool
1Behave in a silly way for fun
To act silly so people laugh or are entertained.
- Stop playing the fool and help me clean up.
- He often plays the fool to make his friends laugh.
- He enjoys playing the fool at parties to make people laugh.
- She played the fool in meetings so people would underestimate her.