For example, if you said that someone had been fooled by something, would they take offense and think you’re calling them a fool or foolish?
What if you say someone’s been “played for a fool”?
For example, if you said that someone had been fooled by something, would they take offense and think you’re calling them a fool or foolish?
What if you say someone’s been “played for a fool”?
Fool is a spectrum. E.g. take the saying “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”. It’s possible to fool anyone. Sometimes it’s because they are a fool, but sometimes it’s not.