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folly

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
fol·ly  (fl)
n. pl. fol·lies
1. A lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight.
2.
a. An act or instance of foolishness: regretted the follies of his youth.
b. A costly undertaking having an absurd or ruinous outcome.
3. follies (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An elaborate theatrical revue consisting of music, dance, and skits.
4. Obsolete
a. Perilously or criminally foolish action.
b. Evil; wickedness.
c. Lewdness; lasciviousness.

[Middle English folie, from Old French, from fol, foolish, from Late Latin follis, windbag, fool; see fool.]

folly
Noun
pl -lies
1. the quality of being foolish
2. a foolish action, idea, etc.
3. an imitation castle, temple, etc., built as a decoration in a large garden or park [Old French folie madness]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.follyfolly - the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
trait - a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
indiscretion, injudiciousness - the trait of being injudicious
fatuity, fatuousness, silliness, absurdity - a ludicrous folly; "the crowd laughed at the absurdity of the clown's behavior"
asininity - the quality of being asinine; stupidity combined with stubbornness
wisdom, wiseness - the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight
2.follyfolly - a stupid mistake                    
error, fault, mistake - a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention; "he made a bad mistake"; "she was quick to point out my errors"; "I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults"
3.folly - the quality of being rash and foolish; "trying to drive through a blizzard is the height of folly"; "adjusting to an insane society is total foolishness"
stupidity - a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience
4.follyfolly - foolish or senseless behavior        
frolic, gambol, romp, caper, play - gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
meshugaas, mishegaas, mishegoss - (Yiddish) craziness; senseless behavior or activity
buffoonery, clowning, harlequinade, japery, prank, frivolity - acting like a clown or buffoon

folly
Translations
folly [ˈfɔlɪ] nlocura

folly [ˈfɔlɪ] ninconscience f; sottise f (= building); folie f

folly [ˈfɔlɪ] nTorheit f;
(building) → exzentrisches Bauwerk nt

folly [ˈfɔlɪ] npazzia, follia

folly
n folly [ˈfoli]
foolishness the follies of youth. dwaasheid; stommiteit حَماقَه безрасъдност pošetilost, hloupost galskab die Torheit τρέλα locura narrus حماقت hullutus folie טִיפּשׁוּת मूर्खता gluposti, ludosti butaság ketololan kjánaskapur, heimska follia 愚かさ 어리석음 kvailystė muļķība; neprāts kebodohan dwaasheid idioti, tåpelighet, galskap szaleństwo loucura nebunie безрассудство bláznovstvo norost ludilo dårskap, tokeri ความเขลา aptallık 愚蠢 дивацтво بے وقوفی hành động ngu xuẩn


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Under any circumstances it would have been an unwelcome alliance; but to have it so clandestinely formed, and such a period chosen for its completion, placed Julia's feelings in a most unfavourable light, and severely aggravated the folly of her choice.
At last a long article appeared, on the 7th of October, in the bulletin of the Royal Geographical Society, which treated the question from every point of view, and demonstrated the utter folly of the enterprise.
Now I saw, though too late, the Folly of beginning a Work before we count the Cost, and before we judge rightly of our own Strength to go through with it.
 
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