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# folly

noun (folly, follies)

«folly» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Foolishness; a very silly or unwise act or idea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#m1)
2. A strange decorative building, like a fake ruin or a tower, built in a big park or garden just for show. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#m2)
3. (follies, plural) A show with dancing, songs and jokes (old theatre word). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#m3)

### In the lessons

In The Wind in the Willows the Badger and Rat try to save Toad from his folly with motor cars. In stories, «the folly of greed» is a lesson. On country walks in Britain and Ireland you may see a folly tower on a hill. Phrases: «sheer folly», «the height of folly», «it would be folly to…».

### Examples

- It would be folly to swim in the sea during a storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x1)
- Toad's folly with cars cost him a fortune. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x2)
- There is a stone folly at the top of the hill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x3)
- Running away was sheer folly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x4)
- The rich lord built a folly that looked like a castle ruin. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x5)
- Grandad says buying that old boat was his greatest folly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x6)
- Why do you persist in this folly? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/#x7)

### Note

Plural: follies. Uncountable in the meaning «foolishness». Related word: fool, foolish.

## In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah it is the opposite of wisdom, one of the pairs of opposites joined to the double letters.

**Interpretation.** The seven double letters are said to have two sounds and stand for pairs such as wisdom and folly, life and death. They show the world's opposites held together.

### Examples

- They are called Double, because each letter presents a contrast or permutation; thus Life and Death; Peace and War (Evil); Wisdom and Folly; Riches and Poverty; Grace and Indignation; Fertility and Solitude (Desolation); Power and Servitude. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/folly/#x1)
- The woman Folly is riotous; she is thoughtless, and knoweth nothing. (Writings PRO.9.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/folly/#x2)
- Every prudent man dealeth with forethought; but a fool unfoldeth folly. (Writings PRO.13.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/folly/#x3)
- Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. (Writings ECC.2.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/folly/#x4)

### Note

Plural: follies. Uncountable in the meaning «foolishness». Related word: fool, foolish.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «folly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/folly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«folly» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/folly.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «folly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/F/folly/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«folly» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/folly.html) on Mova free.