different between foolish vs sawney

English

Etymology

From Middle English folisch; equivalent to fool +? -ish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fu?.l??/

Adjective

foolish (comparative foolisher or more foolish, superlative foolishest or most foolish)

1. (of a person, an action, etc.) Lacking good sense or judgement; unwise.
2. Resembling or characteristic of a fool.

Synonyms

• absurd
• idiotic
• ridiculous
• silly
• unwise

Antonyms

• wise

Derived terms

• a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds
• foolishly
• foolishness

Translations

English

Etymology

(fool, idiot): From Sawney, a Scots variant of the personal name Sandy.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s??ni/

Noun

sawney (countable and uncountable, plural sawneys)

1. (countable) A fool, an idiot.
2. (Britain, slang, obsolete, uncountable) Bacon.
   • 1820, John Bull (volumes 1-2, page 363)

     Tyrrell, another boy, confirmed their testimony, and said, on one occasion, when they had stolen a heart, liver, and lights, the prisoner said, "go out, one or two of you, and see if you can get a bit of sawney!" (meaning a bit of bacon).

   • 1861, The old Roman well (volume 1, page 62)

     A man came in as she spoke, and drawing a large piece of bacon from his pocket, flung it down upon the counter.
     'How much d'ye want for it?' said the lodging-house keeper, weighing it with his eyes.
     'Sixpence.'
     'Sixpence for a bit of sawney! (thieved bacon). We can't give more than fourpence in this shop, my buffer.'

Adjective

sawney (comparative more sawney, superlative most sawney)

1. foolish, stupid

References

• (bacon): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary

Anagrams

• Swaney, Swayne, waneys