dolt
A stupid person; a blockhead or dullard.
Noun
- A stupid person; a blockhead or dullard.
- O Gull, oh dolt, / As ignorant as durt:[…] - c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First...
- Moſt Monſter-like, be ſhewne / For poor'ſt Diminutiues, for Dolts, […] - c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, &...
- This Puck seemes but a dreaming dolt. - 1627, Michaell [i.e., Michael] Drayton, “Nimphidia. The Court of Fayrie.”, in The Battaile of Agincourt. […], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for William Lee, […], →OCLC:
Synonyms: alcatote asshat arsehole asshole bayard berk birdbrain blither bobchin bonehead bozo buffoon brickhead Charlie chucklehead chowderhead chump clart clown der-brain dill pickle dim bulb dimwit dingleberry
Origin
First used as a noun in Early Modern English, from dialectal English dold (“stupid, confused”), from Middle English dold, a variant of dulled, dult (“dulled”), past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make dull, make stupid”), from dull, dul, dwal (“stupid”). More at dull.
Forms
Derived
Verb
- To behave foolishly.
- To fool; to trick
- Some by frequent Practice will never be dolted - 1674, Charles Cotton, The Compleat Gamester: