Sil·ly, a. [Compar. Sillier superl. Silliest.]
1. Happy; fortunate; blessed. [Obs.]
2. Harmless; innocent; inoffensive. [Obs.] “This silly, innocent Custance.”
The silly virgin strove him to withstand. --Spenser.
A silly, innocent hare murdered of a dog. --Robynson (More's Utopia).
3. Weak; helpless; frail. [Obs.]
After long storms . . .
With which my silly bark was tossed sore. --Spenser.
The silly buckets on the deck. --Coleridge.
4. Rustic; plain; simple; humble. [Obs.]
A fourth man, in a sillyhabit. --Shak.
All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep. --Milton.
5. Weak in intellect; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; foolish; witless; simple; as, a silly woman.
6. Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterized by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question.
Syn: -- Simple; brainless; witless; shallow; foolish; unwise; indiscreet. See Simple.
◄ ►
silly
adj 1: pungent adjectives of disesteem; "gave me a cockamamie
reason for not going"; "wore a goofy hat"; "a silly
idea"; "some wacky plan for selling more books" [syn:
cockamamie, cockamamy, goofy, sappy, wacky,
whacky, zany, unreasonable]
2: lacking seriousness; given to frivolity; "a dizzy blonde";
"light-headed teenagers"; "silly giggles" [syn: airheaded,
dizzy, empty-headed, featherbrained, giddy, light-headed,
lightheaded]
3: inspiring scornful pity; "how silly an ardent and
unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on
in years"- Dashiell Hammett [syn: pathetic, ridiculous]
4: dazed from or as if from repeated blows; "knocked silly by
the impact"; "slaphappy with exhaustion" [syn: punch-drunk,
slaphappy]
n : a word used for misbehaving children; "don't be a silly"
[also: silliest, sillier]