Standard Lemma guide

befool

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /bɪˈfuːl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-Ireland, Scotland: /bɪˈfʉl/
  • rhymes with -uːl

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make a fool out of (someone); to fool, trick, or deceive (someone).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

fool or hoax

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The immigrant was duped because he trusted everyone
  • You can't fool me!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: gull, dupe, slang, cod, fool, put on, take in, put one over, put one across

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deceive, betray, lead astray

Narrower terms: pull the leg of, kid

3

verb

Meaning 3

make a fool or dupe of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fool, gull

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: deceive, lead on, delude, cozen

History

Etymology

From Middle English bifolen, equivalent to be- + fool.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: измамвам (izmamvam) — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Bulgarian: заблуждавам (zabluždavam) — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Icelandic: hafa að fífli — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Icelandic: blekkja — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Icelandic: pretta — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Icelandic: gabba — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Māori: hangarau — to fool, trick or deceive someone
  • Swahili: pumbaza — to fool, trick or deceive someone