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Chris -- 2018-04-11
Many who use the word tomfoolery neither know nor care that ‘Tom Fool’ was a generic term for simpletons/jesters. They do know, however, that ‘tomfoolery’ can involve dangerous activities with sometimes fatal results.
It’s been rebuilt after a crash and only needs some finish and color before it’s flying again. Hopefully with less tombfoolery this time:(
I think that this topic was covered in another thread in this forum somewhere, the general consensus was that there are too many plonkers who think that they are budding Dave Cotes or Sonny ferguson’s, but on the public highway.It is easy to see how the bobby would get shirty with such tombfoolery, as far as bad attitudes are concerned…
Tsvangirayi was wise enough to know not to attend a ceremony that ended up in tombfoolery. It is not edifying to watch a grown make a fool of himself at his siblings graveside and commit a diplomatic gaffe all the same time. Why mention diamonds when no one believes that your own hands are clean.
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Tombfoolery. Hey, you kids, quit messing around with that casket! Put that skull down! Brainlessness may be involved: dumbfoolery.
Movie review All of this ugliness, confusion, and sheer dumbfoolery is framed by simply breathtaking cinematography
Forum my (passive) respect had consistently been shrinking over the years in part because of Afghanistan and Iraq, the economy, a flagrant disregard for problems at home, dumbfoolery anmd taradiddles.
Advice Go Travelling with your girlfriend. it will likely be hell. an abortive year of chaos and dumbfoolery.
Tombfoolery suggests an incomplete metathesis (I suppose there’s a proper name for that). Here’s another: tomfolly.
Politics Frankly I’m sick of the dramatic, consistent, tomfolly you exude in your utterly dense postings.
Current events BP is a throwback to Capt. Bligh days; “Mr. Cristian, the barnacles have eaten a hole in the bottom of the Bounty!” “Ridiculous tomfolly, my feet are dry!”
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Dumbfoolery is a very fine eggcorn indeed, unlike tombfoolery , a reject which I resurrected only because errant bees seemed topical.
Last edited by Peter Forster (2011-01-14 10:47:59)
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“Tombfoolery” makes me think Moth’s comments in Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost when he hears a speech about the silent Bs of English:
“They have been at a great feast
of languages, and stolen the scraps.”
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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“Dumbfoolery” is awesome. Would you guys be mad at me if I made that a standard usage around the house and the office?
Last edited by jorkel (2011-01-15 08:37:18)
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