tomfool

tomfool
tomfool (n.) "buffoon, clown," 1640s, from M.E. Thom Foole, personification of a mentally deficient man (mid-14c.), see TOM (Cf. Tom) + FOOL (Cf. fool) (n.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Tomfool — Tom fool (t[o^]m f[=oo]l ), n. [Tom (see {Tomboy}) + fool.] A great fool; a trifler. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tomfool — [täm′fo͞ol′] n. [earlier Tom Fool, as in Tom o Bedlam, poor Tom, names formerly applied to the demented and retarded] a foolish, stupid, or silly person adj. foolish, stupid, or silly …   English World dictionary

  • tomfool — tomfoolish, adj. tomfoolishness, n. /tom foohl /, n. 1. a grossly foolish or stupid person; a silly fool. adj. 2. being or characteristic of a tomfool. [1325 75; ME Thome fole Tom the fool] * * * …   Universalium

  • tomfool — adjective very silly: That was a tomfool thing to do! …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • tomfool — tom•fool [[t]ˈtɒmˈful[/t]] n. 1) a grossly foolish or stupid person; a silly fool 2) being or characteristic of a tomfool …   From formal English to slang

  • tomfool — /ˈtɒmful/ (say tomfoohl) noun 1. a grossly foolish person; a silly fool. –adjective 2. being, or characteristic of, a tomfool. –verb (i) 3. to play the fool. {tom1 + fool1} …  

  • tomfool — n. 1 a foolish person. 2 (attrib.) silly, foolish (a tomfool idea) …   Useful english dictionary

  • tomfool — I. noun Date: 1640 a great fool ; blockhead II. adjective Date: 1760 extremely foolish, stupid, or doltish …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Tomfool — …   Wikipedia

  • tomfool — 1. adjective silly or stupid 2. noun a silly or stupid person See Also: tomfoolery …   Wiktionary

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