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folly

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folly

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Folly  \Fol"ly\,  n.;  pl  {Follies}.  [OE.  folie,  foli,  F.  folie, 
  fr  fol,  fou,  foolish,  mad.  See  {Fool}.] 
  1.  The  state  of  being  foolish;  want  of  good  sense  levity, 
  weakness,  or  derangement  of  mind. 
 
  2.  A  foolish  act  an  inconsiderate  or  thoughtless  procedure; 
  weak  or  light-minded  conduct;  foolery. 
 
  What  folly  'tis  to  hazard  life  for  ill.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Scandalous  crime;  sin;  specifically,  as  applied  to  a 
  woman,  wantonness. 
 
  [Achan]  wrought  folly  in  Israel.  --Josh.  vii. 
  15. 
 
  When  lovely  woman  stoops  to  folly.  --Goldsmith. 
 
  4.  The  result  of  a  foolish  action  or  enterprise. 
 
  It  is  called  this  man's  or  that  man's  ``folly,''  and 
  name  of  the  foolish  builder  is  thus  kept  alive  for 
  long  after  years.  --Trench. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  folly 
  n  1:  the  trait  of  acting  stupidly  or  rashly  [syn:  {foolishness}, 
  {unwiseness}]  [ant:  {wisdom}] 
  2:  a  stupid  mistake  [syn:  {stupidity},  {betise},  {foolishness}, 
  {imbecility}] 
  3:  the  quality  of  being  rash  and  foolish  [syn:  {foolishness},  {craziness}] 
  4:  foolish  or  senseless  behavior  [syn:  {foolery},  {tomfoolery}, 
  {indulgence}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  FOLLY,  n.  That  "gift  and  faculty  divine"  whose  creative  and 
  controlling  energy  inspires  Man's  mind,  guides  his  actions  and  adorns 
  his  life. 
 
  Folly!  although  Erasmus  praised  thee  once 
  In  a  thick  volume,  and  all  authors  known 
  If  not  thy  glory  yet  thy  power  have  shown, 
  Deign  to  take  homage  from  thy  son  who  hunts 
  Through  all  thy  maze  his  brothers,  fool  and  dunce, 
  To  mend  their  lives  and  to  sustain  his  own 
  However  feebly  be  his  arrows  thrown, 
 
  Howe'er  each  hide  the  flying  weapons  blunts. 
  All-Father  Folly!  be  it  mine  to  raise, 
  With  lusty  lung,  here  on  his  western  strand 
  With  all  thine  offspring  thronged  from  every  land, 
  Thyself  inspiring  me  the  song  of  praise. 
  And  if  too  weak,  I'll  hire,  to  help  me  bawl, 
  Dick  Watson  Gilder,  gravest  of  us  all 
  Aramis  Loto  Frope




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