to be a dolt
1
9.4
- idiom
- Offensive
:
hacer el tonto
- Calling someone be a dolt for making a mistake isn't very kind.
Examples
-
I know this; however, if you are someone who bases your vote on the debates, you are a dolt.
Blog text (3) -
"Lord 'Enry Ashbee, of course," Field answered as if I were a dolt.
Fiction book (1990) -
Don't be a dolt and forget to bring your homework to class.
-
If you don't study for the test, you will be a dolt.
Synonyms
2
8.1
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
1
9.9
To act in a foolish way
1
9.9
To make yourself look foolish by doing or saying silly things
1
9.9
To behave in a rude, stupid way
To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh
Act in a foolish way that can cause trouble
To do something silly without thinking
Behave in a silly or foolish way
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To behave foolishly or clumsily
To behave in a foolish and clumsy way
To do silly things that make problems for yourself
Act in a foolish, clumsy way
To act in a silly or stupid way
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
Act in a foolish way because you trust people too easily
Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
To behave in a silly or annoying way
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people
Act in a foolish way
To behave in a stupid and rude way
Act in a silly or stupid way
To behave foolishly and show little common sense
Antonyms
How Stupid
- Offensive
3
6.3
- Offensive
∞
1.0
- Offensive
1
9.4
61
2.7
88
2.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'be' + 'a' + 'dolt' literally means 'to be a foolish person' and directly conveys behaving stupidly. This follows the common 'be a X' predicative pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words (including 'dolt') would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Be a dolt may come from older uses of dolt that described a slow, dull person, like someone heavy and wooden. That's why it means 'to behave in a foolish or stupid manner'.