befool

[ bih-fool ]

/ bɪˈful /

to fool; deceive; dupe.

Obsolete. to treat as a fool; call (someone) a fool.

Origin of befool

First recorded in 1350–1400, befool is from the Middle English word befolen. See be-, fool¹

1 bamboozle, delude, mislead; cheat, swindle.

She did not hesitate even to tell him of her success in an attempt to befool and seduce Eutyches the denunciator.

Herodias |Gustave Flaubert
Didst thou not send Skirnir to Gymer's dwelling to befool Gymer's flighty daughter?

The Children of Odin |Padraic Colum
He thought to befool me with his ill-thought-out plans—me who learnt wisdom before he was born.

The Coming of the King |James Hocking
It was, indeed, pitifully amusing to think how the clever detective had used his powers to befool himself.

A Mysterious Disappearance |Gordon Holmes

But easy as it is to befool women-kind, it is difficult to deceive them, if we want to get rid of them.

The Strange Story of Rab Rby |Mr Jkai

befool

/ (bɪˈfuːl) /

(tr) to make a fool of