Idiot
(i•diət), sb. ME. [a. F. idiot, ad. L. idiota, ad. Gr. ἰδιώτης private person, ‘layman’, f. Ἴδιος.] †1. An ignorant, uneducated man; a clown -1722. †b. spec. A layman -1660. †c. One not professionally learned; also, a private man -1663. 2. A person so deficient mentally as to be incapable of ordinary reasoning or rational conduct. Applied to one permanently so afflicted. ME. b. A term of reprobation: A blockhead, an utter fool ME. †c. A man of weak intellect maintained as a professional fool or jester -1711. 3. attrib. Or quasi-adj., as i. boy, laugh, etc. ME.
1. The bishop repreuyd hym sore as unconnyng and yedote CAXTON. b. For he would not Take orders but remain an Idiote 1611. 2. Idiots make very few or no Propositions, and reason scarce at all LOCKE b. You i., do you know what peril you stand in? DICKENS Hence Idiotv. trans. To call (any one) i. TENNYSON. I•diotcy = Idiocy. Idio•tica. devoid of intellect; utterly stupid, senseless, foolish. †Idiotisha. idiotic.