subs. phr. (common).—A thundering fool: an intensive: see TOM and JACKFOOL (JACK, 8). Hence TOMFOOLERY (TOM-FOLLY, or TOMFOOLISHNESS) = nonsense, trash, anything ridiculous or trifling; TOMFOOLISH = ridiculously absurd; TOM-FOOL’S colours = scarlet and yellow (the ancient motley—‘Red and yellow, TOM-FOOL’S colour’); ‘More know TOM FOOL than TOM FOOL knows’ (a sarcastic retort on failing to recognise, or professing to be unacquainted with, a person saluting).
1565. J. CALFHILL, An Answer to John Martiall’s Treatise of the Cross [Parker Society], 226. But I might bid them tell them, as TOM FOOL did his geese.
c. 1709. WARD, Infernal Vision, I. St. Barth’lomew’s Physicians next came up, Some bred TOM-FOOLS, and some to Dance the Rope.
1824. LANDOR, Imaginary Conversations, ‘Archdeacon Hare and W. Landor.’ ‘Foolery’ was thought of old sufficiently expressive; nothing short of TOMFOOLERY will do now.
18[?]. SOUTHEY, Nondescripts, viii.
| A man he is by nature merry, | |
| Somewhat TOM-FOOLISH, and comical, very. |
1838. WILLIAM WATTS (‘Lucian Redivivus’), Paradise Lost, 63.
| Because I thought that all who saw me | |
| In such a TOM-FOOL’S dress would jaw me. |
1848. THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, xxxvi. The bride must have a trousseau of laces, satins, jewel-boxes and TOMFOOLERY, to make her fit to be a lieutenant’s wife.
1851. BORROW, Lavengro, lxvii. The subjects … college education, priggism, church authority, TOMFOOLERY, and the like.
1882. Daily Telegraph, 8 Nov. Guy Fawkes’s Day would cease to be one of the recognised seasons for TOMFOOLERY in England.
1886. BESANT, Children of Gibeon, II. xiv. Many young men … will stoop to TOMFOOL tricks if they cannot get a show by any other way.
1888. W. BLACK, In Far Lochaber, xiv. He had resolved to treat these TOMFOOLS with proper contempt, by paying no more heed to them.
1890. BROUGHTON, Alas! xxix. ‘And leave you to go TOMFOOLING out there again?’ asks Jim.
1899. H. WYNDHAM, The Queen’s Service, 228. Why the deuce don’t you speak English then, without any of your dashed medical TOMFOOLERY about it?
