Sil"ly , a.
[Compar. Sillier (?); superl.
Silliest.]
[OE. seely, sely, AS. s&?;lig, ges&?;lig,
happy, good, fr. s&?;l, s&?;l, good, happy, s&?;l good fortune, happines; akin to OS. sālig, a,
good, happy, D. zalig blessed, G. selig, OHG. sālīg, Icel. s&?;l, Sw. säll, Dan. salig, Goth. s&?;ls good, kind, and perh. also to L. sollus whole, entire, Gr. &?;&?;&?;,
Skr. sarva. Cf. Seel, n.] 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 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.
Hear it pronounced