foo

plural foos

1. alternativehistoricalobsoleteAlternative form of fu: an administrative subdivision of imperial China; the capital of such divisions.

1. uncountablecomputingA metasyntactic variable used to represent an unspecified entity. If part of a series of such entities, it is often the first in the series, and followed immediately by bar.

   Suppose we have two objects, foo and bar.

2. slanguncountablelifestyleAlternative letter-case form of Foo (“placeholder god”).

1. Expression of disappointment or disgust.

   Oh foo – the cake burnt!

   Synonyms: darn, drat

plural foos · alternative foo'

1. pronunciation spellingslangPronunciation spelling of fool.

   1 more example

   [page 10:] "I knew you'd be scared," Reggie laughed. "What are you doin', foo? You must be crazy. You don't scare me." "Then why did you almost fall out of that chair? I scare everyone." [page 38:] "This is coo," said Fred. "It's almost like being there." "We are there, foo!" said Reggie as the boys slapped palms.

   2020, J. Lewis Johnson, A Dark Night in the Fieldhouse

alternative FooFoo · alternative foofoo · alternative foo

1. datedhumorousslanglifestyleA mock deity of early science fiction fandom; a fannish ghod.

   I imagine it must be pretty discouraging to send out a whole issue of a fanzine and get nothing back but a couple of poctsarcds.^([sic]) I wouldn't know, thank Foo.

   1955 January, Dean Grennell, “Filler #523”, in Abstract, number 9

   2 more examples

   Robert Bloch has blown his top. Backwards or forwards (or sideways) Foo ((ugh)) and Ghu ((!)) cannot be united! Does one eat chocolate cake with catsup on it? If you do and enjoy it then go off and be a fooghuist in your own little corner. You may as well worship Roscoe. Or Alpaugh. Foo fans are happy fans. Ghu isn't really helping Hoffman put out a fine mag you know. The fans who read Q are probably -- for the most part -- Foofooists.

   1951 November, Pike Pickens, “Sez You”, in Quandry, number 15, archived from the original on 07 Jun 2011

   You’ll never guess what Wollheim’s men have found!¶ A forest full of perfect echo-flowers.¶ Honest to Foo! He says ”Salad!” to them,¶ And they obediently answer back, “Salad!”

   2004 September, Jack Speer, “Last and First Fen”, in Noreascon 4 Souvenir Book, page 57