† fonn.1adj.1
Obsolete.
A. n.1
A foolish or gullible person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > [noun]
dizzyc825
cang?c1225
foolc1225
apec1330
mopc1330
saddle-goosec1346
mis-feelinga1382
foltc1390
mopec1390
fona1400
buffardc1430
fopc1440
joppec1440
fonda1450
fondlinga1450
insipienta1513
plume of feathers1530
bobolynec1540
dizzard1546
Little Witham?1548
nodc1563
dawkin1565
cocknel1566
nigion1570
niddicock1577
nodcock1577
cuckoo1581
Jack with the feather1581
niddipol1582
noddyship?1589
stirkc1590
fonkin1591
Gibraltar1593
fopper1598
noddypeak1598
coxcombry1600
simple1600
gowka1605
nup1607
fooliaminy1608
silly ass1608
dosser-head1612
dor1616
glow-worm1624
liripipea1625
doodle1629
sop1637
spalt1639
fool's head1650
buffle1655
Jack Adams1656
bufflehead1659
nincompoopc1668
bavian1678
nokes1679
foolanea1681
cod1699
hulver-head1699
nigmenog1699
single ten1699
mud1703
dowf1722
foolatum1740
silly billy1749
tommy noddy1774
arsec1785
nincom1800
silly1807
slob1810
omadhaun1818
potwalloper1820
mosy1824
amadan1825
gump1825
gype1825
oonchook1825
prawn1845
suck-egg1851
goosey1852
nowmun1854
pelican1856
poppy-show1860
buggerlugs1861
damfool1881
mudhead1882
yob1886
peanut head1891
haggis bag1892
poop1893
gazob1906
mush1906
wump1908
zob1911
gorm1912
goof1916
goofus1916
gubbins1916
dumb cluck1922
twat1922
B.F.1925
goofer1925
bird brain1926
berk1929
Berkeley1929
Berkeley Hunt1929
ding1929
loogan1929
stupido1929
poop-stick1930
nelly1931
droop1932
diddy1933
slappy1937
goof ball1938
get1940
poon1940
tonk1941
clot1942
yuck1943
possum1945
gobdaw1947
momo1953
nig-nog1953
plonker1955
weenie1956
nong-nong1959
Berkshire Hunt1960
balloon1965
doofus1965
dork1965
nana1965
shit-for-brains1966
schmoll1967
tosspot1967
lunchbox1969
doof1971
tonto1973
dorkus1979
motorhead1979
mouth-breather1979
wally1980
wally brain1981
der-brain1983
langer1983
numpty1985
sotong1988
fanny1995
fannybaws2000
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 9186 O þis manasses com amon, þat, als his fader, was a fon.
a1425 in M. Day Wheatley MS (1921) 8 Wele I wote I was a fonne Whenne I troosted yow vpon.
?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 5386 God some tyme chastys a fonn And he is made mare wyse.
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Dii Wenyst thou that I cannot make the play ye fon.
1595 E. Spenser Colin Clouts come Home Againe sig. B4 Ah Cuddy (then quoth Colin) thous a fon.
B. adj.1
Foolish, silly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective]
dizzyc825
unwisec825
redelessOE
unwittyc1000
daftlikec1175
witlessc1175
canga1225
adoted?c1225
cangun?c1225
egedec1225
cangeda1250
foola1250
snepea1250
aerwittec1275
sotlyc1275
unslyc1275
unwitterc1275
unwilya1300
nicec1300
goosishc1374
unskilfulc1374
follyc1380
lewdc1380
mis-feelinga1382
dottlec1390
foltedc1390
peevishc1400
fona1425
fonnishc1425
foliousa1450
foolisha1450
daft?c1450
doitedc1450
dotyc1450
daffish1470
insapientc1470
gucked?a1500
wanwittya1500
furious1526
insipient1528
seelya1529
dawish?1529
foolage1545
momish1546
base-wittedc1547
stultitiousa1549
follifulc1550
senseless1565
mopish1568
fondish1579
unsensiblea1586
fondly1587
dizzardly1594
follial1596
featlessc1598
fopperly1599
gowkeda1605
inept1604
simple1604
anserine1607
foppish1608
silly ass1608
unsage1608
wisdomless1608
fool-beggeda1616
Gotham1621
noddy1645
badot1653
dosser-headed1655
infrunite1657
nonsensicalc1661
slight1663
sappy1670
datelessa1686
noddy-peaked1694
nizy1709
dottled1772
gypit1804
shay-brained1806
folly-stricken1807
fool-like1811
goosy1811
spoony1813
niddle-noddle1821
gumptionless1823
daftish1825
anserous1826
as crazy as a loon1830
spoonish1833
cheese-headed1836
dotty1860
fool-fool1868
noodly1870
dilly1873
gormless1883
daffy1884
monkey-doodle1886
mosy1887
jay1891
pithecanthropic1897
peanut-headed1906
dinlo1907
boob1911
goofy1921
ding-a-ling1935
jerky1944
jerk1947
jerkish1948
pointy-headed1950
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
nerkish1975
numpty1992
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) 2 Chron. xiii. 7 Roboam was buystuouse, ether fonne [E.V. a1382 Douce 370 rude; L. rudis], and of feerdful herte.
c1475 Foure Thyngys (Harl. 116) in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1900) 104 301 Worship, women, wyne, and vnweldy age Make menn fonne [c1450 Fairf. to fonne] for lak of thir resons.
a1500 (?a1450) Gesta Romanorum (Harl. 7333) (1879) 248 (MED) The lion stode besyde him, as he hadde be a ffonne shepe.
a1538 T. Starkey Dial. Pole & Lupset (1989) 16 Yf wyse men..wold have bent themselfe to that purpos, levyng such fon respecte of tyme and of place.
Derivatives
fonly adv. foolishly.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adverb]
unwiselyc897
dizzilyc1175
folly?c1225
canglichec1230
mazedlya1250
follilyc1330
unskilfully1340
unwittily1362
lewdlyc1380
nicelya1387
fondlya1450
nicea1450
foolishlyc1450
foliously1481
ineptly1523
peevishly?1529
simply1535
insipiently1536
senselessly1561
fonly1579
sillilyc1598
perperously1657
insipidly1699
daftly1724
silly1731
stupid?1757
dawkinly1763
fool-like1800
unsagely1801
spoonily1861
assishly1863
ill-advisedly1879
1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. May f. 17 I..had rather be enuied, All were it of my foe, than fonly pitied.
fonnish adj. foolish.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective]
dizzyc825
unwisec825
redelessOE
unwittyc1000
daftlikec1175
witlessc1175
canga1225
adoted?c1225
cangun?c1225
egedec1225
cangeda1250
foola1250
snepea1250
aerwittec1275
sotlyc1275
unslyc1275
unwitterc1275
unwilya1300
nicec1300
goosishc1374
unskilfulc1374
follyc1380
lewdc1380
mis-feelinga1382
dottlec1390
foltedc1390
peevishc1400
fona1425
fonnishc1425
foliousa1450
foolisha1450
daft?c1450
doitedc1450
dotyc1450
daffish1470
insapientc1470
gucked?a1500
wanwittya1500
furious1526
insipient1528
seelya1529
dawish?1529
foolage1545
momish1546
base-wittedc1547
stultitiousa1549
follifulc1550
senseless1565
mopish1568
fondish1579
unsensiblea1586
fondly1587
dizzardly1594
follial1596
featlessc1598
fopperly1599
gowkeda1605
inept1604
simple1604
anserine1607
foppish1608
silly ass1608
unsage1608
wisdomless1608
fool-beggeda1616
Gotham1621
noddy1645
badot1653
dosser-headed1655
infrunite1657
nonsensicalc1661
slight1663
sappy1670
datelessa1686
noddy-peaked1694
nizy1709
dottled1772
gypit1804
shay-brained1806
folly-stricken1807
fool-like1811
goosy1811
spoony1813
niddle-noddle1821
gumptionless1823
daftish1825
anserous1826
as crazy as a loon1830
spoonish1833
cheese-headed1836
dotty1860
fool-fool1868
noodly1870
dilly1873
gormless1883
daffy1884
monkey-doodle1886
mosy1887
jay1891
pithecanthropic1897
peanut-headed1906
dinlo1907
boob1911
goofy1921
ding-a-ling1935
jerky1944
jerk1947
jerkish1948
pointy-headed1950
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
nerkish1975
numpty1992
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective] > somewhat foolish
fonnishc1425
sillyisha1766
c1425 Bk. Found. St. Bartholomew's (1923) 3 (MED) They that are fonnysch and febill in the worldys reputacioun, oure Lorde chesith.
1481 (a1470) J. Tiptoft tr. Cicero De Amicicia (Caxton) sig. b8 What may be a more fonnysh thyng than whan men haue grete plente of richesse..and forgete to pourueye them of frendes.
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Biiiiv Tusshe fonnysshe fansy thou arte frantyke.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
Fonn.2adj.2
/fɒn/, U.S. /fɑn/, /fɔn/, West African English /fɔn/α. 1800s Ffon, 1800s Ffun, 1900s– Fon.
β. 1800s Foy, 1900s– Fo.
A. n.2
1. A member of a West African people inhabiting the south of Benin.
Π
1864 R. F. Burton Mission to Gelele I. vi. 172 In old times it belonged to a people called Aizoh, who..extended..to Toffo, where they are mixed with the Ffons.
1890 A. B. Ellis Ewe-speaking Peoples xvi. 281 To the north of the kingdom of Ardra lay the country of the Foys.
2002 A. Caulfield Show me Magic xii. 252 There are some Fon around who sell sodadi ; we don't make that drink here, we have no palms.
2. The Kwa language of this people, closely related to Ewe.
ΘΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > African languages > Niger-Kordofanian > [noun] > Niger-Congo > Niger-Congo proper languages > Kwa family > languages of
Fante1819
Yoruba1841
Ijo1856
Igbirra1863
Fon1864
Ashanti1874
Twi1874
Nupe1877
Igbo1880
Edo1957
1864 R. F. Burton Mission to Gelele I. v. 164 Allada is the Tours or the Sienna of Dahome, where the purest Ffon is spoken.
1989 Canad. Jrnl. Linguistics 34 278 Fon is morphologically right-headed.
2007 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 31 May 57/4 Toussaint could speak Fon, the African language of his ancestors.
B. adj.2
Of or relating to the Fon or their language.
ΘΠ
the world > people > ethnicities > peoples of Africa > peoples of West Africa > [adjective]
Akani1686
Ashantian1705
Igbo1732
Mandingo1744
Nago1775
Temne1791
Wolof1828
Nupe1829
Kru1835
Gola1843
Mpongwe1844
Efik1849
Yoruban1853
Mossi1854
Fulbe1857
Ewe1861
Fan1861
Ibibio1862
Akan1863
Fon1864
Soninke1870
Mende1872
Ijo1883
Mande1883
Yoruba1883
Mitshi1892
Benin1893
Munchi1908
Yakö1926
Tallensi1936
Tiv1939
Limba1954
Kissi1957
Loma1957
1864 R. F. Burton Mission to Gelele I. 61 Hwe, in the Ffon dialect, means a house and grounds, as in Gre-hwe.
1981 R. Oliver & M. Crowder Cambr. Encycl. Afr. 161/2 This commitment drew French officials into growing conflict with the proudly independent and militarily formidable Fon kingdom of Abomey.
2017 Washington Post (Nexis) 29 Jan. f2 The word Vodun means spirit in the native Fon language, and it can be understood as the divine essence that connects the energies of life on Earth and beyond.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† fonv.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To make a fool of (a person); to fool, dupe.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > make foolish or a fool of [verb (transitive)]
bedotec1385
fona1425
fool1608
to put the ass (also fool) upon (also on)1617
stultify1809
a1425 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 211 Thei fonned him in his age hore.
c1450 J. Lydgate Secrees (Sloane 2464) l. 570 (MED) The fals Erryng hath fonnyd many Oon.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xxi. 266 Soyn shall we fon hym.
2. intransitive. To be or become foolish, infatuated, or mad; to act the fool. Scottish in later use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > take [verb (transitive)]
nimeOE
haveeOE
atleada1000
latchc1000
take?a1160
takec1175
hentc1300
catcha1382
privea1387
nighc1400
betakec1420
fonc1425
prend1447
win1515
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > be or become foolish [verb (intransitive)]
dizzyc888
assotc1175
adote?c1225
fonc1425
desipiate1623
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > besottedness, infatuation > be foolish, dote [verb (intransitive)]
fonc1425
fond1530
mad1594
c1425 Prose Versions New Test.: Deeds (Cambr.) (1904) xxvi. 24 (MED) Poule, þou fonnes; myche letturere turnes þe vnto foly.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 32 (MED) Þou fonnyst as a best, I gesse.
?1507 W. Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen (Rouen) in Poems (1998) I. 48 With kissing and with clapping I gert the carill fon.
1571 G. Buchanan Admonitioun Trew Lordis sig. B.2v The Duikis Sone..causit ye rest of the Hammiltounis to fon for fainnes.
3. transitive. Scottish. To fondle (someone).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > action of caressing > caress [verb (transitive)]
freeOE
coy1340
daunsel1362
to fawn on, upon1477
daut?a1513
cherish1568
fona1586
minion1598
flatter1599
ingle1599
biscot1653
ningle1659
fond1676
smuggle1679
fondle1686
caress1697
nauntle1828
smudge1844
a1586 Peblis to Play in W. A. Craigie Maitland Folio MS (1919) I. 177 The fairest fallis me Tak ȝe the laif and fone þame.
Derivatives
fonning n. foolishness, foolish behaviour.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [noun]
unwisdomc825
unredeeOE
egedec1175
unwitc1175
unwisdomnessa1200
dusileca1225
dusischipa1225
folly?c1225
kangschipe?c1225
unwitshipa1250
unwisenessa1340
cornardy1340
unwithead1340
lewdness1362
nicetyc1380
sotie1390
folitya1400
follinessa1400
foolheada1400
insipiencec1422
fondnessa1425
wanwita1425
cocardyc1430
foltry1440
jopperyc1440
folliheada1450
fonning?a1475
niceheada1475
foltheadc1475
folabilitya1529
daftness1552
foolageness1563
foppery1592
guckry1596
senselessness1606
coxcombry1608
goosery1642
ineptitude1656
fopicalness1660
fopperishness1683
insagacity1808
spoonery1824
spooniness1824
noodleism1830
addle-headedness1835
foolishment1852
insapiency1876
ineptness1877
goosiness1888
inepticality1923
sappiness1943
gormlessness1958
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 284 Be his meraclys and fals prechyng he bryngyth þe pepyl in gret fonnyng.
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 76 Our werkes all wisely wroght by discrecion Þat we fare with no foly ne fonnyng of pride.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
n.1adj.1a1400
n.2adj.21864v.a1425