foolishness

fool·ish

 (fo͞o′lĭsh)

adj.

1. Lacking or exhibiting a lack of good sense or judgment; silly: a foolish boy; a foolish purchase.

2. Capable of arousing laughter; absurd or ridiculous: a foolish grin.

3. Embarrassed; abashed: I feel foolish telling you this.

4. Insignificant; trivial: foolish little knickknacks.

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fool′ish·ly adv.

fool′ish·ness n.

Synonyms: foolish, absurd, fatuous, ludicrous, preposterous, ridiculous, silly
These adjectives are applied to people or things that show an absence of good judgment or common sense: a foolish expenditure of energy; an absurd idea that is bound to fail; fatuous optimism that does not take the real problem into account; dismissed her ludicrous criticism; a preposterous excuse that no one believed; offered a ridiculous explanation for his tardiness; a silly argument.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Foolishness

 

See Also: ABSURDITY, FUTILITY, STUPIDITY

1. A blockhead is as ridiculous when he talks as is a goose when it flies —Lord Halifax

   The words ‘talks’ and ‘flies’ have been modernized from the old English ‘talketh’ and ‘flieth.’

2. Comparing them [American and Oriental women] is like comparing oven broilers and banties —Bobbie Ann Mason
3. Felt foolishness drag like excess flesh on his face —Sharon Sheehe Stark
4. Foolish as to cut off the head to preserve the hair —Anon

   An alternative to the cliche, “As foolish as to cut off your nose to spite your face.”

5. Foolish as to judge a horse by its harness —Anon
6. A fool is like other men as long as he is silent —Jacob Cats
7. A fool … says little, but that little said owes all its weight, like loaded dice, to lead —William Cowper
8. Gullible as geese —Anon
9. How foolish one would be to climb into the ring with love and try to trade blows with him, like a boxer —Sophocles
10. If all fools wore white caps, we should look like a flock of geese —Proverb
11. I’ll not be a fool like the nightingale who is up till midnight without any ale —Dylan Thomas
12. Life’s little suckers chirp like crickets while spending all on losing tickets —Ogden Nash
13. Lightheaded as a thistle —Mary Lavin

    See Also: LIGHTNESS

14. A man who commits suicide is like a man who longs for a gate to be opened and who cuts his throat before he reaches the gate —Dylan Thomas
15. Senseless … it’s like wearing a bulletproof vest with a hole over the heart —Senator John Heinz, December, 1985 news item
16. Unrealistic … like someone who eats like a linebacker but yearns for the shape of a fashion model —Anon

Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	foolishness - the trait of acting stupidly or rashly folly, unwiseness 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
	2.	foolishness - 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" craziness, folly, madness stupidity - a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience
	3.	foolishness - a stupid mistake       betise, folly, imbecility, stupidity 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"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

foolishness

noun

1. stupidity, irresponsibility, recklessness, idiocy, weakness, absurdity, indiscretion, silliness, inanity, imprudence, rashness, foolhardiness, folly, bêtise (rare) the foolishness of dangerously squabbling politicians

2. nonsense, carrying-on (informal, chiefly Brit.), rubbish, trash, bunk (informal), claptrap (informal), rigmarole, foolery, bunkum or buncombe (chiefly U.S.) There's no shortage of foolishness.

Quotations
"Mix a little foolishness with your prudence; it's good to be silly at the right moment" [Horace Odes]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

foolishness

noun

Foolish behavior:

absurdity, folly, foolery, idiocy, imbecility, insanity, lunacy, madness, nonsense, preposterousness, senselessness, silliness, tomfoolery, zaniness.

Informal: craziness.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

غَباء، حَماقَه، سَخافَه

hloupostnerozum

latterlighedtåbelighed

Torheit

ανοησία

tontería

stupidité

kjánaskapur

stoltezzastupidit...

fjollethetlettsindighet

nespametnost

aptallık

愚蠢

foolishness

[ˈfuːlɪʃnɪs] N → insensatez f, estupidez f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

foolishness

[ˈfuːlɪʃnɪs] n → stupidité f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

foolishness

n → Dummheit f; enough of this foolishness → lassen wir diese Dummheiten

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

foolishness

[ˈfuːlɪʃnɪs] n → stupidità

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

fool

(fuːl) noun

a person without sense or intelligence. He is such a fool he never knows what to do. dwaas; gek أحْمَق глупак tolo blázen der Narr/die Närrin fjols; nar ηλίθιοςtonto, imbécil tobu آدم احمق typerys fou, folleטיפש मूर्ख budala, luda bolond orang bodoh bjáni, heimskingi sciocco 愚か者 바보 kvailys muļķis bodoh dwaasfjols, idiot, tosk, narrgłupiec بی عقله tolo nătărău; nebun дурак blázon norec budala dåre, dumbom, tok คนโง่ aptal 傻子 дурень احمق kẻ ngu đần 傻子

verb

1. to deceive. She completely fooled me with her story. vir die gek hou; om die bos lei يَخْدَع، يَغُش заблуждавам enganar oklamat, napálit zum Narren halten narre ξεγελώengañar ninapidi vedama فریب دادن pettää berner לְשָטוֹת मूर्ख बनाना prevariti, nasamariti becsap membodohi blekkja, leika á prendere in giro; ingannare だます 속이다 apkvailinti, apgauti []muļķot memperbodoh-bodohkan erin laten lopen narre, lure, bedraokpić, oszukać بی عقله کول enganar a prosti дурачить oklamať ukaniti zavarati lura, narra หลอกลวง aldatmak 愚弄 обдурювати بے وقوف بنانا dùng thủ đoạn hay lừa đảo ai 愚弄

2. (often with about or around) to act like a fool or playfully. Stop fooling about! rondspeel; rondpeuter يَتَسَكَّع، يُمْضي وَقْتَه كالأحْمَق държа се глупаво brincar pohrávat si; dělat špásy Possen treiben fjolle rundt φέρομαι ανόητα hacer el tonto, bromear lollitama لودگی کردن pelleillä faire l'imbécile לְהִשתַטוֹת मूर्खतापूर्ण ढंग से व्यवहार करना budaliti, poigravati se hülyéskedik main-main haga sér eins og bjáni fare il buffone ふざける 바보처럼 굴다 kvailioti muļķoties main-main gek doen tøyse, fjolle, tulle błaznować, wygłupiać się بی عقلی کول brincar a face pe prostul валять дурака robiť si vtipy noreti ludirati se bära sig åt som en stolle, larva sig ทำเป็นตลก aptal gibi davranmak 瞎弄 блазнювати; пустувати مسخرہ پن کرنا، غیر سنجیدہ رہنا xử sự một cách dại dột 瞎弄

ˈfoolish adjective

1. having no sense. He is a foolish young man. dwaas; onverstandige غَبي глупав tolo nerozumný dumm tåbelig ανόητοςtonto rumal احمق typerä étourdi, stupideטיפש मूर्ख budalast, neozbiljan bolond bodoh heimskulegur stupido 愚かな 분별이 없는 kvailas muļķīgs bodoh dwaasfjollet, tosket, skrullet, dumgłupi, niemądry بې عقل، بې ادبه، جاهل، بېړا parvo fără minte; absurd глупый nerozumný nespameten budalast dåraktig, dum เขลา aptal 愚蠢的 дурний; безглуздий بے وقوف dại dột; ngớ ngẩn 愚蠢的

2. ridiculous. He looked very foolish. dwaas; verspot سَخيف смешен ridículo směšný albern latterlig γελοίοςridículo naeruväärne مضحک naurettava ridiculeטיפשי नासमझ smiješan nevetséges menggelikan fáránlegur ridicolo ばかげた 어리석은 juokingas muļķīgs kelakar belachelijklatterligśmieszny مضحک ridículo ridicol нелепый smiešny smešen šašav fånig ดูน่าหัวเราะ gülünç 可笑的 безглуздий, смішний احمقانہ đần độn 可笑的

ˈfoolishly adverb

dwaaslik; belaglik بِغَباء، بِسَخافَه глупаво tolamente pošetile dumm, albern tåbeligt; latterligt χαζά, γελοία tontamente rumalalt احمقانه typerästi stupidement בְּטִיפּשׁוּת मूर्खता से nerazborito, lakoumno, smiješno ostobán secara bodoh fáránlega stupidamente 愚かにも 어리석게 kvailai muļķīgi dengan bodoh dwaasfjollet, latterliggłupio به بى عقلى، په جهالت estupidamente prosteşte глупо; нелепо hlúpo bedasto budalasto dumt กะเร่อกะร่า aptalca 愚蠢地 смішно بے وقوفی سے điên rồ; rồ dại 愚蠢地

ˈfoolishness noun

gekheid; dwaasheid; belaglikheid غَباء، حَماقَه، سَخافَه глупости tolice hloupost, nerozum die Torheit tåbelighed; latterlighed χαζομάραestupidez rumalus حماقت؛ ابلهی typeryys stupiditéטיפשות मूर्खता ludost, budalaština ostobaság kebodohan kjánaskapur stupidità 愚かさ 어리석음 kvailumas muļķība kebodohan dwaasheidfjollethet, lettsindighetgłupota بى عقلى؛ جهالت tolice prostie глупость; нелепость bláznovstvo nespametnost ludost dumhet ความโง่ aptallık 愚蠢 дурість, безглуздість بے وقوفی tính dại dột; tính ngu xuẩn 愚蠢

ˈfoolhardy adjective

taking foolish risks; rash. He made a foolhardy attempt to climb the mountain in winter. roekeloos; waaghalsig مُتَهَوِّر، يُجازِف بِحَماقَه дързък imprudente šíleně odvážný, ztřeštěný tollkühn dumdristig παράτολμος, απερίσκεπτοςtemerario uisapäine بی کله؛ بی فکر tyhmänrohkea téméraire מִסתַכֵּן ללֹא צוֹרֵך बेवकूफी भरा जोखिम उठाना ludo odvažan vakmerő nekad fífldjarfur temerario 向こう見ずな 무모한 beatodairiškas pārdrošs nekad onbezonnendumdristig ryzykancki بى عقلى imprudente nesăbuit безрассудно храбрый príliš nerozvážny nepremišljen smeo dumdristig บ้าระห่ำ delicesine cesur 莽撞的 відчайдушний احمقانہ بہادری دکھانا liều lĩnh một cách dại dột 莽撞的

ˈfoolhardiness noun

roekeloosheid; waaghalsigheid تَهَوُّر، مُجازَفَه بِحَماقَه дързост imprudência šílená odvaha, ztřeštěnost die Tollkühnheit dumdristighed απερισκεψίαtemeridad hulljulgus ابلهی؛ بی پروایی tyhmänrohkeus témérité הִסתַכּנוּת ללא צוֹרֵך बेवकूफी भरा जोखिम (luda) odvažnost merészség kenekadan fífldirfska temerarietà 向こう見ず 무모함 beatodairiðkumas pārdrošība nekad onbezonnenheiddumdristighet ryzykanctwo جهالت imprudência nesăbuinţă безрассудная храбрость nerozvážnosť nepremišljenost smelost dumdristighet ความบ้าระห่ำ delicesine cesurluk 莽撞 відчайдушність غیر عاقلانہ بہادری sự liều lĩnh một cách dại dột 莽撞

ˈfoolproof adjective

unable to go wrong. His new plan seems completely foolproof. onfeilbaar; waterdig; teen (alles) bestand لا يُخْطِئ، سَهْل فَهْمُه أو اسْتِعْماله безопасен seguro spolehlivý narrensicher, kinderleicht idiotsikker ασφαλής, αλάνθαστοςinfalible lollikindel خطاناپذیر idioottivarma à toute épreuveבטוח त्रुटिरहति potpuno siguran, nepogrešiv üzembiztos tanpa kesalahan pottþéttur infallibile 間違いようのない 누구나 할 수 있는 patikimas, saugus drošs; (par ierīcēm) vienkāršs; viegli lietojams tanpa kesalahan waterdichtidiotsikkerniezawodny اسانه، ساده، بسيط، خوندى، محفوظ، اعتبارى seguro infai­libil надёжный spoľahlivý otročje lahek bezbedan idiotsäker ไม่น่าจะผิดพลาดได้ emin, güvenilir 十分簡單明瞭的 вірний, безсумнівний بے خطا hết sức rõ ràng 十分简单明了的，万无一失的

make a fool of

to make (someone) appear ridiculous or stupid. He made a real fool of her by promising to marry her and then leaving her when he had spent all her money. iemand belaglik maak; iemand vir die gek hou يَجْعَلُه أضْحوكَةً правя на глупак fazer de tolo dělat si blázny z jemanden zum Narren halten gøre en til grin; gøre nar af en γελοιοποιώ poner en ridículo narriks tegema احمق جلوه دادن saattaa jk naurunalaiseksi rendre ridicule לְשָׁטוֹת किसी को बेवकूफ बनाना praviti budalu od nekoga bolonddá tesz vkit mengejek, memperolok-olokkan, mengelabui gera að fífli farsi gioco di ばかにする 바보 취급하다 pastatyti į kvailio padėtį apmuļķot; nostādīt kādu muļķīgā stāvoklī memperbodoh-bodohkan voor gek zetten latterliggjøre robić durnia z, wystrychnąć na dudka احمقی fazer de parvo a-şi bate joc de одурачить robiť si blázna z osmešiti napraviti budalu od göra ngn till åtlöje หลอกลวง aptal yerine koymak 愚弄 робити дурня з кого کسی کو بیوقوف بنانا lừa ai 愚弄

make a fool of oneself

to act in such a way that people consider one ridiculous or stupid. She made a fool of herself at the party. jou belaglik; bespotlik maak يَجْعَل من نَفْسِه أضْحوكَةً излагам се expor-se ao ridículo zesměšnit se sich lächerlich machen gøre sig selv til grin γελοιοποιούμαιquedar en ridículo (ennast) naeruvääristama خود را مضحکه کردن tehdä itsensä naurunalaiseksi se rendre ridicule לַעֲשׂוֹת צְחוֹק מְעֲצמֵך ऐसा काम जिससे खुद को बेवकूफ महसूस करने लगे osramotiti se, uciniti se smiješnim nevetségessé teszi magát berlaku bodoh gera sig að fífli rendersi ridicolo 笑いものになる 바보 짓을 하다 pasirodyti kvailiu nostādīt sevi muļķīgā stāvoklī memperbodoh-bodohkan zich belachelijk maken dumme seg ut zbłaźnić/wygłupić się مسخره كول dar-se ao ridículo a se face de râs ставить себя в дурацкое положение zosmiešniť sa osmešiti se napraviti budalu od sebe göra bort sig ล้อเลียน kendini gülünç duruma düşürmek 鬧笑話 пошитися в дурні اپنا بیوقوف بنانا xử sự một cách ngốc nghếch 闹笑话

play the fool

to act in a foolish manner, especially with the intention of amusing other people. He always played the fool when the teacher left the classroom. gekskeer يَتَحامَق، يَتَصَرَّف كالأحْمَق върша глупости fazer de tolo jančit, dělat ze sebe blázna Possen machen spille klovn κάνω τον καραγκιόζη hacer el tonto lollitama دلقک بازی درآوردن pelleillä faire le pitre לְהִשתַטוֹת बेवकूफों जैसी हरकत करना izigravati budalu bolondozik membadut leika trúðinn, vera með trúðslæti fare il buffone おどける 광대 노릇을 하다 kvailioti, vaizduoti kvailį muļķoties; dzīt velnu membadut voor gek spelen oppføre seg dumt, spille klovn błaznować فول fazer de parvo a face pe clovnul дурачиться vystrájať hlúposti uganjati burke izigravati budalu spela pajas แกล้งโง่ maskaralık yapmak 裝傻 дурня клеїти دوسروں کی تفریح کے لۓ احمقانہ حرکتیں کرنا làm trò hề 装傻相，逗人笑

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

foolishness

n. tontería, bobería.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012