Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.
Class IV. Words Relating to the Intellectual FacultiesDivision (I) Formation of Ideas
Section V. Results of Reasoning
Faculties
501. Fool.
NOUN:FOOL, idiot, tomfool, wiseacre, simpleton, Simple Simon, moron, gaby [colloq.], witling, dizzard [obs.], donkey, ass; ninny, ninny hammer, chowderhead [dial.], jolterhead or jolthead, mutt [slang], chucklehead [colloq.], dolt, booby, tomnoddy, loony or luny [slang], looby, hoddy-doddy [obs.], noddy, nonny [dial.], noodle, nizy [obs.], owl, goose, imbecile; radoteur [F.], nincompoop [colloq.], badaud [F.], zany [Eng.]; trifler, babbler; pretty fellow; natural, niais [F.].child, baby, infant, innocent, milksop, sop.
oaf, lout, loon or lown [dial.]; bull-head, blunderhead, addle-pate, addle-brain, addlehead [all colloq.]; blockhead, dullhead, bonehead [slang], rattlepate, dullard, doodle [obs.], calf [colloq.], colt, buzzard [obs.], block, put, stick [colloq.], stock, numps [obs.], tony [obs.]; loggerhead, beetlehead, grosshead [obs.], muttonhead [colloq.], noodlehead, giddyhead [colloq.], numskull [colloq.], thickhead [colloq.], thick skull; lackbrain, shallow-brain; halfwit, lackwit; dunderpate; lunkhead [U. S.].
sawney [dial. Eng.], clod, clodhopper; clodpoll, clodpate, clotpole or clotpoll [obs.], clotpate [obs.], soft or softy [colloq. or slang], saphead [slang], bull calf [colloq.], spoony or spooney [slang], gawk, gawky, gowk, Gothamite, lummox [dial.], rube [U. S.]; men of Bœotia, wise men of Gotham.
un sot à triple étage [F.], sot [Scot.], jobbernowl [colloq., Eng.], changeling [archaic], mooncalf, gobemouche [F.].
greenhorn (dupe) [See Dupe]; dunce (ignoramus) [See Ignoramus]; lubber (bungler) [See Bungler]; madman [See Madman]; solid ivory.
one who -will not set the Thames on fire, – did not invent gunpowder, – does not exactly scintillate; qui n’a pas inventé la poudre [F.]; no conjuror; no Solomon.
DOTARD, driveler; old fogy or fogey [colloq.], old woman; crone, grandmother; cotquean [archaic], henhussy, betty [contempt].
QUOTATIONS:
- Fortuna favet fatuis.
- Les fous font les festins et les sages les mangent.
- Nomina stultorum parietibus hærent.
- Stultorum plena sunt omnia.—Cicero
- A fool and his money are soon parted.
- Where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be wise.—Gray
- Cruel children, crying babies All grow up as geese and gabies, Hated, as their age increases, By their nephews and their nieces.—Stevenson
- A rosebud need not have a mind.—Masefield
- You may lead an ass to knowledge, but you cannot make him think.—Cynic’s Calendar