What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Fool vs Sly - What's the difference?

fool | sly |

As a noun fool

is (pejorative) a person with poor judgment or little intelligence.

As a verb fool

is to trick; to make a fool of someone.

As an adjective sly is

artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.

As an adverb sly is

slyly.

fool

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (pejorative) A person with poor judgment or little intelligence.
  • You were a fool to cross that busy road without looking.
    The village fool threw his own shoes down the well.
  • * Franklin
  • Experience keeps a dear school, but fools' will learn in no ' other .
  • (historical) A jester; a person whose role was to entertain a sovereign and the court (or lower personages).
  • (informal) Someone who derives pleasure from something specified.
  • * Milton
  • Can they think me their fool or jester?
  • * 1975 , , "Fool for the City" (song), Fool for the City (album):
  • I'm a fool for the city.
  • (cooking) A type of dessert made of d fruit and custard or cream.
  • an apricot fool'''; a gooseberry '''fool
  • A particular card in a tarot deck.
  • Synonyms

    * (person with poor judgment) See also * (person who entertained a sovereign) jester, joker * (person who talks a lot of nonsense) gobshite

    Verb

  • To trick; to make a fool of someone.
  • To play the fool; to trifle; to toy; to spend time in idle sport or mirth.
  • * Dryden
  • Is this a time for fooling ?

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * befool * fool about * fool around * foolhardy * foolish * foolishness * foolometer * fool's errand * fool's gold * fool's paradise * foolproof * more fool you * play the fool * suffer fools gladly * there's no fool like an old fool

    References

    1000 English basic words ----

    sly

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Adjective

  • Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.
  • Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble; skillful; cautious; shrewd; knowing; — in a good sense.
  • Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle; as, a sly trick.
  • Light or delicate; slight; thin.
  • Synonyms

    * artful * cunning * knowing * sharp * crafty * shrewd * shifty * sly as a fox * slim * wily * See also

    Derived terms

    * sly as a fox * slyboots * slyness

    Adverb

  • Slyly.
  • Anagrams

    * ----