Chapter Folly to Fool-hasty of F by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

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.

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.

Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools.

Milton.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

Franklin.

3. (Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Ps. xiv. 1.

4. One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.

Can they think me . . . their fool or jester?

Milton.

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 (Æthusa 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.

Fool
(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
(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.

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

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

Foolery
(Fool"er*y) n.; pl. Fooleries