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fool sb.1 (the phrase “a to” = in every way inferior to Shr. III. ii. 160 is not pre-S.)
1. (with an adj. as “good, poor”) used as a term of endearment or pity Gent. IV. iv. 100, Ado II. i. 328, Tw.N. V. i. 381, Wint. II. i. 117, 3H6 II. v. 36, Rom. I. iii. 31, Lr. V. iii. 307.
2. (somebody's) dupe or sport LLL. V. ii. 68, Tw.N. III. i. 158 “now I am your ,” Rom. III. i. 142 “I am Fortune's ,” Mac. II. i. 44 “Mine eyes are made the f-s o' the other senses,” Ham. I. iv. 54 “we f-s of nature,” Lr. II. ii. 132, Oth. I. iii. 389.
3. born idiot, ‘natural fool’ All'sW. IV. iii. 213 “the shrieve's ” =an idiot maintained by the sheriff, who was responsible to the crown.
4. used as adj.=foolish Mer.V. I. i. 102, II. ix. 26.
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hide References (9 total)
  • Cross-references in text-specific dictionaries from this page (9):
    • William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 2.1
    • William Shakespeare, King Lear, 2.2
    • William Shakespeare, King Lear, 5.3
    • William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, 1.4
    • William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, 4.4
    • William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, 1.1
    • William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, 2.9
    • William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Or what you will, 3.1
    • William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Or what you will, 5.1
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