Library / English Dictionary

GOOF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior

Synonyms:

buffoon; clown; goof; goofball; merry andrew

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("goof" is a kind of...):

comedian; comic (a professional performer who tells jokes and performs comical acts)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goof"):

harlequin (a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell'arte))

fool; jester; motley fool (a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages)

whiteface (a clown whose face is covered with white make-up)

zany (a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect)

Instance hyponyms:

Emmett Kelly; Kelly; Weary Willie (United States circus clown (1898-1979))

Derivation:

goof (commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake)

goofy (ludicrous, foolish)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A man who is a stupid incompetent fool

Synonyms:

bozo; cuckoo; fathead; goof; goofball; goose; jackass; twat; zany

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("goof" is a kind of...):

fool; muggins; sap; saphead; tomfool (a person who lacks good judgment)

Derivation:

goof (commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake)

goofy (ludicrous, foolish)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake

Example:

I blundered during the job interview

Synonyms:

blunder; boob; drop the ball; goof; sin

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "goof" is one way to...):

breach; break; go against; infract; offend; transgress; violate (act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

goof (a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior)

goof (a man who is a stupid incompetent fool)

Credits