A Fool And His Money Are Soon Parted

Meaning:

This phrase is typically used to describe someone who loses their money quickly, either by being tricked or spending it wastefully.

Example: After receiving a paycheck from his job, Alex went to a horse racing venue and bet every cent of it on a race. He ended up losing the bet, and his money. Thus, concerning Alex, one might say that a fool and his money are soon parted.

No similar phrases.

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The Origin of “A Fool And His Money Are Soon Parted”

This phrase is at least 460 years old. It was used by a poet named Thomas Tusser in a poem he wrote called Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, in the year 1557. While the wording is a bit different, the expression is still similar enough to the one that’s used today:

“A foole and his money be soone at debate: which after with sorow repents him too late.”

What is the idea behind this saying, for those who may not know? Basically, it means that a person who acts carelessly with their money will lose it fast. For example, if someone is careful with their money and primarily spends it only on necessary things—food, water, clothes, etc.—then their money will likely last them a while.

However, if a person is reckless with how they use their money and they do something like say, gamble it away at a casino, then their money will likely not last long at all. Indeed, they would be “parted” or “separated” from their money in no time!

Thus, when someone acts carelessly with their money and loses it as a result, then as the saying goes, a fool and his/her money are soon parted.

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Example Sentences

Below is an example of this saying being used in a sentence:

• Bryan’s grandmother gave him two hundred dollars as a gift. However, he promptly lost the money by betting on a sports game. Thus, as the saying goes, a fool and his money are soon parted.

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