sb. [f. TOM + FOOL sb.1] † a. As quasi-proper name, Tom Fool: a man mentally deficient; a half-witted person. Obs.
1356–7. Durham Acc. Rolls (Surtees), 719. Pro funeracione Thome Fole [from 1337 frequently mentioned as ‘Thomas fatuus’].
1565. Calfhill, Answ. Treat. Crosse, 103 b. I might byd them tell them, as Tom foole did his geese.
1611. J. Field, Panegyr. Verses, in Coryat, Crudities. Tom-Foole may goe to schoole, but nere be taught.
1640[?]. New Serm. of newest fashion (1877), 32. A foole reall … such ffooles wee commonlie expresse by the names of Tom ffoole, Dick ffoole, and Jack ffoole.
1865. Cornh. Mag., Oct., 391. Now though he didn’t know Hannah, Hannah knew him. ‘More folks know Tom Fool, than Tom Fool knows,’ asking Mr. Preston’s pardon.
b. One who enacts the part of a fool in the drama, etc.; a buffoon; spec. a buffoon who accompanies morris-dancers; also, a butt, laughing-stock.
1650. H. More, Observ., in Enthus. Tri., etc. (1656), 91. Come out Tom-Fool from behinde the hangings,… and put off your vizard, and be apert and intelligible.
1677. W. Hughes, Man of Sin, II. ix. 139. But poor Thomas is made a Tom-fool of: for they make a bridge of his Nose, for ought I find, and leave him nothing.
1796. Mrs. M. Robinson, Angelina, II. 131. ‘So then I am to be the only properly drest person at the wedding? In short, the Tom fool of the company,’ said he.
1846. Thackeray, Snob Papers, Wks. 1886, XXIV. 319. A theatre manager … walking backwards in a Tom-Fool’s coat.
1894. S. E. Worc. Gloss., s.v., Morris-dance, In the neighbourhood of Pershore the morris-dancers go out for about ten days at Christmas-tide, accompanied by their musician and a ‘tom-fool.’
c. A foolish or stupid person; one who behaves foolishly. (More emphatic than fool.)
1721. Amherst, Terræ Fil., No. 44 (1754), 233. From this tom-fool proceed we to the second, entitled Joseph.
1835. Marryat, Pacha, x. I came with the rest of the tom-fools.
1860. Mayhew, Upp. Rhine, iv. § 1. 173. A titled tom-fool, that some crowned head has been pleased to nickname noble.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, I. 78. If they were not clergymen, I should say they were all tom-fools.
d. attrib. (in senses b and c).
1819. Scott, Fam. Let., 25 Nov. I had some regret in putting him into that Tom Fool dress, which is so unlike that of a British soldier.
1879. Sala, Paris Herself Again (1830), I. x. 151. You may … wear whatever tomfool costume you like to assume.
1903. Sat. Rev., 7 Feb., 172/2. The absolute tom-fool nonsense in which Fielding could indulge.
Hence Tom-fool v., intr. to play the fool; whence Tom-fooling vbl. sb.
1825. T. Hook, Sayings, Ser. II. Man of Many Fr., I. 181. She began lecturing and tom-fooling with as great a quack as herself. Ibid. (1836), G. Gurney, i. All the lovers and their ladies were to be flirting and tom-fooling about in the costume of the then present day.
1881. Daily Tel., 27 Dec. In this scene there is very good tomfooling on the part of King Hoity-Toity … and the Nigger Chamberlain.
