Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Silly

Sil′ly

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Sillier
;
sup
erl.
Silliest
.]
[OE.
seely
,
sely
, AS.
s[GREEK]lig
, ge
s[GREEK]lig
, happy, good, fr.
s[GREEK]l
,
s[GREEK]l
, good, happy,
s[GREEK]l
good fortune, happines; akin to OS.
sālig
, a, good, happy, D.
zalig
blessed, G.
selig
, OHG.
sālīg
, Icel.
s[GREEK]l
, Sw.
säll
, Dan.
salig
, Goth.
s[GREEK]ls
good, kind, and perh. also to L.
sollus
whole, entire, Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK], Skr.
sarva
. Cf.
Seel
,
Noun.
]
1.
Happy; fortunate; blessed.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
2.
Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.
[Obs.]
“This silly, innocent Custance.”
Chaucer.
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
silly
habit.
Shakespeare
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
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Silly

SIL'LY

,
Adj.
[Heb. This may be radically the same word, with a prefix. Class Sl. No. 26]
1.
Weak in intellect; foolish; witless; destitute of ordinary strength of mind; simple; as a silly man; a silly child.
2.
Proceeding from want of understanding or common judgment; characterized by weakness of folly; unwise; as silly thoughts; silly actions; a silly scheme; writings stupid or silly.
3.
Weak; helpless. After long storms- With which my silly bark was toss'd

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