silly

comparative sillier · superlative silliest · alternative sely · alternative seely

1. Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.

   silly grin

   4 more examples

   They were laughing at a silly joke.

   This is the silliest stuffe, that euer I heard.

   c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], line 209

   I remember, before the Dwarf left the Queen, he followed us one day into thoſe gardens, and my Nurſe having ſet me down, he and I being cloſe together, near ſome Dwarf Apple trees, I muſt need ſhew my Wit, by a ſilly Alluſion between him and the Trees, which happens to hold in their Language as it doth in ours.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), pages 226–227

   Well sir, I have a silly walk and I'd like to obtain a Government grant to help me develop it.

   1970, Graham Chapman et al., Monty Python's Flying Circus, I, 183

   1. particularly pricesAbsurdly large.

      He cannot achieve celebrity by covering himself with diamonds... or by giving a silly price for a hack.

      1875 June 26, Saturday Review, 815/2

2. Blessed
   1. ScotlandobsoleteGood; pious.

      The sylyman lay and herde, / And hys wyf answerd.

      a. 1450, Seven Sages, line 1361

      1 more example

      The King of Spaine is counted very ſtrong, and the Pope is counted very ſtrong, because they haue a ſtrong hand to perſecute the ſilly ones of leſus Chriſt.

      c. 1600, Robert Rollo[c]k, chapter I, in Lectvres Vpon The Epistle Of Pavl To The Colossians, London: Felix Kyngston, page 27

   2. ScotlandobsoleteHoly.

      ... thrie Saturdayes befor Lambas and thrie efter called the six silie Saturdayes.

      1650 in 1885, W. Cramond, Church of Rathven, 21

3. Northern EnglandScotlandrarePitiful, inspiring compassion, particularly

   The fire raging upon the silly Carcase.

   1556 in 1880, William Henry Turner, Selections from the Records of the City of Oxford... 1509–83, 246

   1 more example

   Silly... in the same sense as E. poor is often used, denoting a state which excites compassion.

   1808, John Jamieson, An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language

4. Pitiful, inspiring compassion
   1. Northern EnglandScotlandliteraryrareInnocent; suffering undeservedly, especially as an epithet of lambs and sheep.

      In the silly lambis skin He crap als far as he micht win.

      a. 1513, William Dunbar, Poems, section 247

      1 more example

      There is no best in þe word, I wene... / That suffuris halfe so myche tene / As doth þe sylly wat.

      a. 1475, in 1925, Rossell Hope Robbins, Secular Lyrics of the 14th & 15th Centuries, 109

   2. Northern EnglandScotlandliteraryrareHelpless, defenseless.

      scared silly

      3 more examples

      Wherfore Christe must soo moche the more instantelye be sought vpon, that he may vouchsafe to defende vs sylly wretches.

      1539, Juan Luis Vives, translated by Richard Morison, Introduction to Wysedome

      Ah Shepheard, pity my diſtreſſed plight, / (If as thou ſeem’ſt, thou art ſo meane a man) / And ſeeke not to inrich thy followers, / By lawleſſe rapine from a ſilly maide, […]

      c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii

      There remained fresh Examples of their Barbarism against weak Sea-men, and silly Fisher-men.

      1665, Hugo Grotius, translated by Thomas Manley, De Rebus Belgicis, section 938

   3. Northern EnglandScotlandrareInsignificant, worthless, (chiefly Scotland) especially with regard to land quality.

      Ane sillie scheill vnder ane erdfast stane

      a. 1500, Aesop, translated by Robert Henryson, Two Mice

      2 more examples

      […]A pettigree / Of threescore and two yeares a sillie time, / To make prescription for a kingdomes worth.

      c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], line 93

      It is naturally very poor, ‘silly’ land.

      1907, Transactions of the Highland & Agricultural Society, 19, 172

   4. Northern EnglandScotlandrareWeak, frail; flimsy (use concerning people and animals is now obsolete).

      That'll never grow. It's ower silly.

      1946, Scottish National Dictionary, published 1971, Vol. VIII, 234/3

      2 more examples

      Here we see that a smal sillie Bird knoweth how to match with so great a Beast.

      1567, John Maplet, A Greene Forest

      [Christ] leaueth neither Children nor kinsfolke behind him to vphold his sillie kingdome.

      1587, Philippe de Mornay, translated by Philip Sidney et al., A Woorke Concerning the Trewnesse of the Christian Religion, xxxii, 596

   5. Northern EnglandScotlandrareSickly; feeble; infirm.

      To doe the thing we can / To please... / This silly sickly man.

      1636, Alexander Montgomerie, The Cherrie & the Slae, line 1512

      1 more example

      Is there ony thing you would particularly fancy, as your health seems but silly?

      1818, Heart of Mid-Lothian, Walter Scott, section V

5. Simple, plain
   1. rarenow rustic UKRustic, homely.

      Dauid had no more but a sylie slynge, and a few stones.

      1570, John Foxe, Actes & Monumentes, Vol. II, 926/1

   2. obsoleterarenow rustic UKLowly, of humble station.

      The silly herdman all astonnied standes.

      a. 1547, the Earl of Surrey translating Publius Virgilius Maro, Certain Bokes of Virgiles Aeneis, Book II

      1 more example

      So luvaris lair no leid suld lak, A lord to lufe a silly lass.

      1568, Alexander Scott, Poems, section 27

6. Mentally simple, foolish
   1. obsoleteRustic, uneducated, unlearned.

      From Hell (of which the silly people of the Country think the top of this hill to be the mouth).

      1687, Jean de Thévenot, translated by Archibald Lovell, The Travels of Monsieur de Thevenot into the Levant, i, 2

   2. Thoughtless, lacking judgment.

      silly mistake

      5 more examples

      Wee sillie soules, take the matter too too heauily.

      1576, Abraham Fleming translating Sulpicius, A Panoplie of Epistles, 24

      ‘Heaven help this silly fellow,’ murmured the perplexed locksmith.

      1841, Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, iii, 252

      For Vesper to fall for an old trick like that and get herself snatched and probably held to ransom like some bloody heroine in a strip cartoon. The silly bitch.

      1953, Ian Fleming, “Black Hare and Grey Hound”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 105

      Steve, don't be silly. I mean social intercourse.

      1972, George Lucas et al., American Graffiti, section 8

      The truth is that everyone is sillier than you could possibly imagine they'd be.

      1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 3

   3. Scotlandmentally delayed or feeble.

      Fow ȝellow ȝellow wes hir heid bot scho of lufe wes sillie.

      1568, Christis Kirk on Grene

      1 more example

      Davie's no just like other folk... but he's no sae silly as folk tak him for.

      1814, Waverley, Walter Scott, III, xvi, 237

   4. Stupefied, senseless; stunned or dazed.

      Drinking myself silly...

      1907, John Millington Synge, Playboy of the Western World, iii, 64

      3 more examples

      You say you were knocked silly—was that so?

      1829 January 17, Lancaster Gazette

      Well, Judy, now that you've scared me silly, what's so important?

      1942, J. Chodorov et al., Junior Miss, ii, i, 113

      I can kick this stuff any time I like. I tell you what. Get this week over, we'll go to a health farm for ten days. No drugs. No drink. And shag ourselves silly. How about that?

      1990, House of Cards, season 1, episode 2

7. ball gamesVery close to the batsman, facing the bowler; closer than short.

   Carpenter now placed himself at silly-point for Grundy, who was playing very forward.

   1862 July 4, Notts. Guardian

comparative sillier · superlative silliest

1. colloquialregionalSillily: in a silly manner.

   If you did but see how silly a Man fumbles for an Excuse, when he's a little asham'd of being in Love.

   1731, Colley Cibber, Careless Husband, 7th edition, i, i, 21

plural sillies

1. colloquialA silly person.

   While they, poor sillies, bid good night, O' love an' bogles eerie.

   1807 May, Scots Magazine, 366/1

   1 more example

   "Oh, Bill. I can't - Oh, my dear, I've been hoping so much.... Oh, Bill..." said Josella. I had forgotten all about Susan until a voice came from above. "You are getting wet, you silly. Why don't you kiss her indoors?" it asked.

   1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 217

2. endearinggently derogatoryA term of address.

   ‘Come on, silly,’ said Nannie.

   1918 September, St. Nicholas, 972/2

3. colloquialA mistake.