fool
B1Informal, occasionally mildly pejorative.
Definition
Meaning
A person lacking in judgment or sense; someone easily deceived or made to look ridiculous.
A jester or clown in a medieval court; to trick or deceive someone; to act in a playful or silly manner.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a noun, often implies a lack of intelligence or wisdom rather than malice. As a verb, often used with 'into' or 'around'. Can be affectionate in certain contexts (e.g., 'you old fool').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'April Fool's Day' is standard in both, but the prank itself is often called an 'April fool' in the UK and an 'April Fool's joke' in the US.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. Slightly more likely to be used in playful, non-offensive contexts in UK English (e.g., 'I felt a proper fool').
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] fool somebody[V] fool somebody into doing something[V] fool around[N] be a fool to do somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A fool and his money are soon parted.”
- “Fool's gold”
- “Fool's paradise”
- “Nobody's fool”
- “More fool you/him/etc.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare and informal. 'It would be a fool's errand to invest without proper research.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical/literary contexts (e.g., the court fool in Shakespeare).
Everyday
Very common for describing silly behaviour or mistakes. 'I made a fool of myself at the party.'
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Don't try to fool me with your excuses.
- He's just fooling about in the garden.
American English
- You didn't fool anyone with that disguise.
- Stop fooling around and get to work.
adverb
British English
- Rarely used. 'He ran foolhardy into the danger.' (foolhardy is a separate adjective/adverb).
American English
- Rarely used. 'Acting fool won't solve the problem.' (informal/slang).
adjective
British English
- That was a fool thing to say.
- He felt a bit fool after realising his mistake.
American English
- That was a fool thing to do.
- I'm not fool enough to believe that story.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is a fool to go out without a coat.
- I am not a fool!
- She felt like a fool when she forgot his name.
- The magician fooled the audience.
- Only a fool would ignore such clear evidence.
- He managed to fool everyone into thinking he was French.
- The king's fool used wit to speak uncomfortable truths.
- She was nobody's fool and negotiated a superb contract.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a court JESTER with a FOOL's cap (dunces cap) - both are 'fools' meant to amuse.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF INTELLIGENCE IS LACK OF LIGHT/SIGHT (e.g., 'blind fool'). FOOLISHNESS IS CHILDISH PLAY (e.g., 'fool around').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'дурак' in all contexts, as 'fool' is often milder and less offensive.
- The verb 'to fool' does not mean 'to stupefy' (одурманивать).
- The phrase 'April Fool!' translates as 'Первое апреля!' not a direct word-for-word.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'fool' as a direct, harsh insult (it's milder than many equivalents).
- Confusing 'fool' (noun) with 'foolish' (adjective).
- Misspelling as 'full'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'He fooled me to believe' (should be 'into believing').
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'to waste time behaving in a silly way'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal and can be mildly insulting, but is generally much less offensive than stronger synonyms like 'idiot' or 'moron'. Context is key; it can be affectionate (e.g., 'you silly fool').
'Fool' is primarily a noun (a person), while 'stupid' is an adjective (describing a person or action). You can say 'a fool' or 'a stupid person', but not 'a stupid' (as a noun).
Yes, commonly. It means to deceive or trick someone ('fool someone'), or to act in a joking or non-serious manner ('fool around').
It refers to a person who is tricked or the trick itself on April 1st (April Fools' Day). After a successful trick, people often say 'April Fool!' to the victim.