play the fool
To behave in a foolish or comical manner.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He likes to play the fool to make his friends laugh.”
“During the meeting, he decided to play the fool to avoid answering the difficult questions.”
“Although he was a brilliant scholar, he often chose to play the fool in social settings to deflect unwanted attention from his private life.”
- 01
child's play
Something particularly easy or simple.
- 02
flannelled fool
A cricketer (from the white flannel trousers they traditionally wear).
- 03
fool around
To engage in frivolous behaviour; to monkey around.
- 04
fool away
to waste, squander
- 05
go play in the traffic
To go elsewhere and feel free to engage in risky behavior; to get lost.
- 06
grandstand play
A successful play or other manoeuvre during a sporting competition in which one or more players shows off unnecessarily in order to entertain or impress the spectators.
- 07
hold-up play
A play where an attacker retains possession of the ball, while the teammates can move up the field.
- 08
lump of school
[Cockney slang]fool
Last updated August 10, 2026