foolish reply

[/ˈfuːlɪʃ rɪˈplaɪ/]
nounpl: foolish replies
resposta tola
1. a response that demonstrates lack of intelligence, judgment, or wisdom; an answer that is absurd or nonsensical
His foolish reply to the teacher's question made everyone laugh in embarrassment.
Sua resposta tola à pergunta da professora fez todos rirem de vergonha.
2. an unwise or ill-considered answer given without proper thought
She gave a foolish reply without thinking about the consequences.
Ela deu uma resposta tola sem pensar nas consequências.
In Brazilian culture, making a 'resposta tola' is often used as a humorous or self-deprecating way to acknowledge one's mistake. In American culture, a foolish reply might lead to social embarrassment, while in Brazil it's sometimes treated more lightly with humor. The phrase is commonly used in educational settings when students provide incorrect or absurd answers.
NYC Slang
dumb answer, moronic response, stupid reply
Synonyms / Sinônimos
stupid replysilly responseabsurd answeridiotic responsesenseless replywitless answer
Antonyms / Antônimos
wise replyintelligent responsesensible answerthoughtful replyprudent response

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
resposta tola
Most common usage in Brazilian Portuguese
Rio de Janeiro
resposta boba
Informal variant using 'boba' instead of 'tola'
São Paulo
resposta idiota
More direct and slightly harsher variant
Portugal
resposta parva
European Portuguese uses 'parva' instead of 'tola'

Related Words

foolishreplyresponsefoolishnessabsurditystupiditywisdom

Related Idioms & Phrases

talk through one's hat
put one's foot in one's mouth
speak without thinking
answer like a fool
give a half-baked reply
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