fox vs play a joke on

fox is a noun but play a joke on is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
fox	Yes	No	Yes	No
play a joke on	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, fox and play a joke on are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of fox include flim-flam, fob, play a trick on, play tricks, pull a fast one on, trick.

fox (noun)	play a joke on (noun)
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
a shifty deceptive person
the grey or reddish-brown fur of a fox

fox (verb)	play a joke on (verb)
become discolored with, or as if with, mildew spots	subject to a playful hoax or joke
be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly	deceive somebody
deceive somebody