Meaning & Definition
noun
foolish behavior or actions; a state or instance of being a fool.
His constant foolery during meetings made it hard for anyone to take him seriously.
a foolish act or remark; a prank or jest.
The foolery of the pranksters disrupted the entire event.
deceitful or foolish trickery.
She regarded his foolery as nothing more than a bad joke.
lack of good sense; foolish behavior.
Amidst the foolery, someone actually got hurt.
Etymology
Middle English fole, from Old French fol, from Latin follis 'bag, bellows', hence 'fool'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
fool's errand:
A task that has little chance of success.
play the fool:
To engage in foolish or silly behavior.
fool around:
To waste time or behave in a silly way.
Slang Meanings
Goofing off
Stop your foolery and get back to work.
Being silly
His foolery at the party made everyone laugh.