The Collaborative International Dictionary
Fool \Fool\, n. [OE. fol, n. & adj., F. fol, fou, foolish, mad; a fool, prob. fr. L. follis a bellows, wind bag, an inflated ball; perh. akin to E. bellows. Cf. Folly, Follicle.]
One destitute of reason, or of the common powers of understanding; an idiot; a natural.
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A person deficient in intellect; one who acts absurdly, or pursues a course contrary to the dictates of wisdom; one without judgment; a simpleton; a dolt.
Extol not riches, then, the toil of fools.
--Milton.Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
--Franklin. -
(Script.) One who acts contrary to moral and religious wisdom; a wicked person.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
--Ps. xiv. 1. -
One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments.
Can they think me . . . their fool or jester?
--Milton.April fool, Court fool, etc. See under April, Court, etc.
Fool's cap, a cap or hood to which bells were usually attached, formerly worn by professional jesters.
Fool's errand, an unreasonable, silly, profitless adventure or undertaking.
Fool's gold, iron or copper pyrites, resembling gold in color.
Fool's paradise, a name applied to a limbo (see under Limbo) popularly believed to be the region of vanity and nonsense. Hence, any foolish pleasure or condition of vain self-satistaction.
Fool's parsley (Bot.), an annual umbelliferous plant ( [AE]thusa Cynapium) resembling parsley, but nauseous and poisonous.
To make a fool of, to render ridiculous; to outwit; to shame. [Colloq.]
To play the fool, to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. ``I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.''
--1 Sam. xxvi. 21.
Parsley \Pars"ley\ (p[aum]rs"l[y^]), n. [OE. persely, persil, F. persil, L. petroselinum rock parsley, Gr. petrose`linon; pe`tros stone + se`linon parsley. Cf. Celery.] (Bot.) An aromatic umbelliferous herb ( Carum Petroselinum), having finely divided leaves which are used in cookery and as a garnish.
As she went to the garden for parsley, to stuff a
rabbit.
--Shak.
Fool's parsley. See under Fool.
Hedge parsley, Milk parsley, Stone parsley, names given to various weeds of similar appearance to the parsley.
Parsley fern (Bot.), a small fern with leaves resembling parsley ( Cryptogramme crispa).
Parsley piert (Bot.), a small herb ( Alchemilla arvensis) formerly used as a remedy for calculus.
Wiktionary
n. (taxlink Aethusa cynapium species noshow=1), an annual umbelliferous plant that resembles parsley but is poisonous.
WordNet
n. European weed naturalized in America that resembles parsley but causes nausea and poisoning when eaten [syn: lesser hemlock, Aethusa cynapium]
Usage examples of "fool's parsley".
We could manage stavesacre and dwale, with a little fool's parsley and half a thorn apple, stewed, with toadstools.
Jane peered closely at hedgerow and field as the car turned out into the lane, and saw Barney gazing too, but there was no sign of anything except white fool's parsley, and rose-bay willowherb tall in the grass, and the sweep of the tall green hedges above.