British slang for messing about, wasting time, or engaging in pointless, silly behavior — sometimes used with a vague implication of inappropriate or undignified conduct. The word plays on 'tomfoolery' by swapping in 'bum' for its comedic British value. In modern usage, it mostly just means doing something daft or getting into mischief, and has shed most of the loaded connotations it once carried.
There was too much bumfoolery going on at the back of the bus for the teacher to even pretend to ignore it.
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(slang) Messing about, often in a homosexual way.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.