fooling

fool-ing · verb

imported

Definitions

verb

  1. 1.

    Present participle of "fool"; tricking or deceiving someone.

  2. 2.

    Acting in a playful or silly manner.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    no fooling — used to emphasize one is being serious
  • •
    fooling around — playing; being frivolous; having an affair
  • •
    who are you fooling? — rhetorical question challenging self-deception

Related words

Antonyms: being_honest, informing
See also: fool, fooled, joking
Synonyms: deceiving, duping, joking, tricking

Etymology

From Old French fol ("mad, insane, stupid"), from Latin follis ("bellows, windbag"), with the present participle ending -ing.