tomfooleryn.
/(ˌ)tɒmˈfuːl(ə)ri/, U.S. /ˌtɑmˈfuləri/ 1.
a. The action or behaviour of a fool or buffoon; foolish, frivolous, or absurd behaviour; buffoonery.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > performance of jester or comedian > [noun]
jocularya1500
fooling?1545
clownage1590
buffoonizing1611
tomfoolery1812
clownery1821
tomfooling1823
clowning1861
jazzbo1914
slapstick1926
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > giddiness, empty-headedness > [noun] > in activities
tomfoolery1812
tomfooling1823
1812 H. Smith & J. Smith Rejected Addr. 123 Round let us bound for this is Punch's holiday, Glory to Tomfoolery, huzza! huzza!
1824 London Evening Chron. 11 Nov. This was a fine opportunity for what the admirers of Tom-foolery call ‘a spree’.
1883 Harper's Mag. June 146/1 There was contemptuous chuckling at the sentimental tomfoolery of philanthropic busybodies.
1935 H. Heslop Last Cage Down i. v. 50 Wasn't there enough trouble in the coal-field..without all this tomfoolery?
1965 N.Y. Times Mag. Apr. 122/5 The issue which we are dealing with..is too serious for the kind of low-level tomfoolery which he likes to indulge in.
2015 Guardian 3 Oct. (Guide Suppl.) 38/4 It's no wonder that tickets for their sketches, anecdotes and general tomfoolery are selling out.
b. An instance of foolish or silly behaviour; something which is foolish or absurd.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > giddiness, empty-headedness > [noun] > instance of
giddiness1593
inanity1661
tomfoolery1821
frivolitya1832
tomfoolishness1875
1821 John Bull 19 Feb. 77/3 The satisfaction your Majesty derives from seeing all their mummeries and Tomfooleries.
1840 T. A. Trollope Summer in Brittany I. 58 One of those solemn tom-fooleries which so much delighted the middle ages.
1885 T. H. Huxley in L. Huxley Life & Lett. T. H. Huxley (1900) II. vi. 91 How grown men can lend themselves to such elaborate tomfooleries.
1933 Daily Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica) 10 Nov. 24/7 The Councillors of the Corporation..would laugh at such a ‘tomfoolery’, and would not accede to their request to reduce the fees.
1952 N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 4 May 3 Below the tomfooleries there is a serious critic here and a well stocked and uncorrupted mind.
2016 A. Wallace Pumpkin Picking with Murder i. 3 You will not draw me into any of your tomfooleries this visit.
2. [Rhyming slang.] Jewellery. Cf. tom n.3
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > types of ornamentation > jewellery > [noun]
jewelleryc1400
pierreriea1450
usker1536
lapidary1609
bijouterie1815
junk1911
tomfoolery1930
tom1955
1930 ‘G. Ingram’ & D. Mackenzie Hell's Kitchen xii. 120 Here is a list of Underworld words and expressions, and you will note that many of them rhyme with the correct terms... Tomfoolery..jewellery.
1943 M. Harrison Reported Safe Arrival 52 I wouldn' be surprised if you both done a stretch fer knockin' orf some ole bloke's tom-foolery.
1975 Sunday Times 30 Mar. 49/2 He will have contacts in ‘tomfoolery’, or jewellery outlets.
2014 E. J. Dickey Wanted Woman (2015) xix. 134 Lot of Khyber Pass in your party, most in Irish pigs, all wearing too much tomfoolery.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, January 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1812