to act like a dumbo
- idiom
- Offensive
:
hacer el tonto
- Stop acting like a dumbo—just read the instructions carefully before you begin.
Examples
-
She realized she had been acting like a dumbo and quickly apologized for her mistake.
-
Why do you always act like a dumbo during meetings?
-
If you keep acting like a dumbo, nobody will take you seriously at work.
-
Don't act like a dumbo in front of your friends!
-
If you keep acting like a dumbo, people will start to question your judgment.
-
He tends to act like a dumbo when he's nervous and makes silly mistakes.
-
She was embarrassed after acting like a dumbo in front of her classmates.
Synonyms
88
2.1
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
42
4.1
Act in a way that makes you look silly or embarrassed
7
4.6
Act in a silly way to make others laugh or avoid being serious
3
8.0
To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention
2
8.1
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
1
9.4
Act in a foolish way and ignore good advice
1
9.9
To behave in a rude, stupid way
1
9.9
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
1
9.9
To act in a foolish way
1
9.9
Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious
Behave in a rude, annoying, and foolish way toward other people
To behave in a foolish and clumsy way
To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh
Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk
Behave in a silly, clumsy way to make people laugh at you
To behave in a silly and immature way
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Behave in a rude and stupid way
To behave rudely and foolishly in a way that annoys or embarrasses people
To do silly things that make problems for yourself
To behave in a stupid and rude way
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others
To act in a silly or stupid way
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
Behave in a silly, not very smart way
To behave in a very foolish and rude way
Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To do something silly without thinking
To behave in a silly or wild way that makes people laugh
To behave foolishly or clumsily
Act in a silly, embarrassing way
Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people
To behave foolishly and show little common sense
Act in a silly or stupid way
To behave in a silly or annoying way
To ignore good advice and behave foolishly
To behave in a silly, rude way and break rules
How Foolish
- Offensive
88
2.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'act' (behave) + 'like' (in the manner of) + 'dumbo' (a foolish person) yields 'behave foolishly', so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the sense. The pattern is a simple simile common across languages; although 'dumbo' is slang and mildly insulting, that lexical register does not prevent transparent understanding of the overall phrase.
Etymology
Act like a dumbo may come from the cartoon elephant Dumbo, who looked clumsy and a bit silly, and to act like him is to copy that foolish behavior, so the phrase means 'to behave in a foolish or silly way'.