tomfoolery
foolish behaviour
TRANSLATION
die Albernheit (herumblödeln)
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Although he lived at the court of his patron and protector, Can Grande della Scala, for some time, Dante had an uneasy relationship with the man. On the other hand, another member of Can Grande's court - a fool who delighted his master with his jests and TOMFOOLERY - was lavishly rewarded with gifts and money.
"How is it," the jester once asked Dante, "that I, who am so ignorant and foolish, should be so rich and favored, while you, who are so learned and wise, should be a beggar?" "The reason," Dante replied, "is that you have found a lord who resembles you, and when I find one who resembles me, I shall no doubt be as rich as you are."
Alighieri, Dante (1265-1321) Italian poet, leader of the Italian literary renaissance noted for such works as The Divine Comedy. Dante was exiled from his native Florence by his political enemies in 1307 and spent many years wandering before settling in Ravenna in 1318.
"How is it," the jester once asked Dante, "that I, who am so ignorant and foolish, should be so rich and favored, while you, who are so learned and wise, should be a beggar?" "The reason," Dante replied, "is that you have found a lord who resembles you, and when I find one who resembles me, I shall no doubt be as rich as you are."
Alighieri, Dante (1265-1321) Italian poet, leader of the Italian literary renaissance noted for such works as The Divine Comedy. Dante was exiled from his native Florence by his political enemies in 1307 and spent many years wandering before settling in Ravenna in 1318.
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tomfoolery
1. Foolish behavior
2. Something trivial or foolish; nonsense
Interesting Language Note:
Synonyms:
to horse about, to mess about, to mess around, to muck about
NOTE: the adjectives foolish, silly, fatuous, absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous are applied to what is so devoid of wisdom or good sense as to be laughable:
That was a FOOLISH expenditure of energy
We had a SILLY argument
He made FATUOUS remarks
It was an ABSURD idea that is bound to fail
They gave a PREPOSTEROUS excuse that no one believed
I never heard such a RIDICULOUS explanation
Her LUDICROUS criticism was immediately rejected
1. Foolish behavior
2. Something trivial or foolish; nonsense
Interesting Language Note:
Synonyms:
to horse about, to mess about, to mess around, to muck about
NOTE: the adjectives foolish, silly, fatuous, absurd, preposterous, ridiculous, ludicrous are applied to what is so devoid of wisdom or good sense as to be laughable:
That was a FOOLISH expenditure of energy
We had a SILLY argument
He made FATUOUS remarks
It was an ABSURD idea that is bound to fail
They gave a PREPOSTEROUS excuse that no one believed
I never heard such a RIDICULOUS explanation
Her LUDICROUS criticism was immediately rejected
