SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

fool about

Definition of fool about

British, informal

1 :to do things that are not useful or serious :to waste time :to do things slowly

We fooled about outdoors for a while, but then went inside to get some work done.

2 :to have sex with someone who is not one's husband, wife, or regular partner

His wife discovered that he was fooling about (on her).

Word by Word Definitions

fool play

: a person lacking in judgment or prudence
: a retainer (see ¹retainer 1) formerly kept in great households to provide casual entertainment and commonly dressed in motley with cap, bells, and bauble
: one who is victimized or made to appear foolish : dupe

: foolish, silly

: to behave foolishly
: to meddle, tamper, or experiment especially thoughtlessly or ignorantly
: to play or improvise a comic role

See the full definition of fool

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