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footle

[ foot-l ]

verb (used without object)

, foot·led, foot·ling.
  1. to act or talk in a foolish or silly way.


footle

/ ˈfuːtəl /

verb

  1. often foll byaround or about to loiter aimlessly; potter
  2. to talk nonsense
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. rare.
    foolishness
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of footle1

First recorded in 1890–95; origin uncertain; footy
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Word History and Origins

Origin of footle1

C19: probably from French foutre to copulate with, from Latin futuere
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Example Sentences

About two hours later, it was recognised Arthur was "an unanticipated footling breech", the Record of Inquest states.

From BBC

That left Jonathan with lifelong feelings of guilt, which led him on several occasions to announce that he was abandoning what he once called “this footling flibbertigibbet world of theater.”

Race and gender are weighty issues, but there is another, more footling, prejudice that Strong Island will have to overcome if it is to take the Oscar on Sunday.

Using violence to enforce footling laws is also a common theme.

Several of the large American snooping programmes made public by Mr Snowden were legitimised through unexpectedly broad readings of outwardly footling bills.

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