Meanings
Origin
First appears c. 1587 in the publication Defense of the Government of the Church of England as If they pay a penie or two pence more for the reddinesse of them..let them looke to that, a foole and his money is soone parted. An earlier quote from 1573 by Thomas Tusser reads "A foole and his money be soone at debate: which after with sorow repents him too late."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French aux idiots l'argent file entre les doigts, aux idiots l'argent brûle entre les doigts
- aux idiots l'argent file entre les doigtsit is easy to get money from foolish people
- aux idiots l'argent brûle entre les doigtsit is easy to get money from foolish people
Japanese 鴨が葱を背負って来る
- 鴨が葱を背負って来る (kamo ga negi o shotte kuru)it is easy to get money from foolish people
Portuguese dinheiro de tolo já sai do bolso
- dinheiro de tolo já sai do bolsoit is easy to get money from foolish people
Russian у дурака́ в карма́не дыра́
- у дурака́ в карма́не дыра́ (u duraká v karmáne dyrá)it is easy to get money from foolish people
Cite this entry
a fool and his money are soon parted. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20fool%20and%20his%20money%20are%20soon%20parted
“a fool and his money are soon parted.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20fool%20and%20his%20money%20are%20soon%20parted. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a fool and his money are soon parted,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20fool%20and%20his%20money%20are%20soon%20parted.
Source: a fool and his money are soon parted on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.