Definition of Silly

1. Noun. A word used for misbehaving children. "Don't be a silly"


2. Adjective. Ludicrous, foolish. "Some wacky plan for selling more books"
Exact synonyms: Cockamamie, Cockamamy, Goofy, Sappy, Wacky, Whacky, Zany
Language type: Colloquialism
Similar to: Foolish
Derivative terms: Goof, Goof, Silliness, Zany, Zany

3. Adjective. Lacking seriousness; given to frivolity. "Silly giggles"

4. Adjective. Inspiring scornful pity. "How silly an ardent and unsuccessful wooer can be especially if he is getting on in years"
Exact synonyms: Pathetic, Ridiculous
Similar to: Undignified
Derivative terms: Ridicule, Silliness

5. Adjective. Dazed from or as if from repeated blows. "Slaphappy with exhaustion"
Exact synonyms: Punch-drunk, Slaphappy
Language type: Colloquialism
Similar to: Confused

Definition of Silly

1. a. Happy; fortunate; blessed.

Definition of Silly

1. Adjective. (archaic) Pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless. ¹

2. Adjective. (obsolete) Simple, unsophisticated, ordinary; rustic, ignorant. ¹

3. Adjective. foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom; frivolous, trifling. ¹

4. Adjective. irresponsible, showing irresponsible behaviors. ¹

5. Adjective. playful, giggly. ¹

6. Adjective. semiconscious, witless. ¹

7. Adjective. (cricket) of a fielding position, very close to the batsman; closer than short ¹

8. Adjective. (pejorative) simple, not intelligent, refined. ¹

9. Noun. (colloquial) A silly person; a fool. ¹

10. Noun. (colloquial) A mistake. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Silly

1. showing a lack of good sense [adj -LIER, -LIEST] : SILLILY [adv] / a silly person [n -LIES]

Medical Definition of Silly

1. 1. Happy; fortunate; blessed. 2. Harmless; innocent; inoffensive. "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. "After long storms . . . With which my silly bark was tossed sore." (Spenser) "The silly buckets on the deck." (Coleridge) 4. Rustic; plain; simple; humble. "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; characterised by weakness or folly; unwise; absurd; stupid; as, silly conduct; a silly question. Synonym: Simple, brainless, witless, shallow, foolish, unwise, indiscreet. See Simple. Origin: OE. Seely, sely, AS. Slig, geslig, happy, good, fr. Sl, sl, good, happy, sl good fortune, happines; akin to OS. Salig, a, good, happy, D. Zalig blessed, G. Selig, OHG. Salig, Icel. Sl, Sw. Sall, Dan. Salig, Goth. Sls good, kind, and perh. Also to L. Sollus whole, entire, Gr, Skr. Sarva. Cf. Seel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Silly

sillers
sillibub
sillibubs
sillier
sillies
silliest
sillily
sillimanite
sillimanites
silliness
sillinesses
sillion
sillock
sillocks
sills
silly (current term)
silly-how
silly geese
silly goose
silly gooses
silly mid off
silly mid on
silly money
silly pill
silly pills
silly point
silly season
silly straw
silly straws
silly string

Literary usage of Silly

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Development of Intelligence in Children: (the Binet-Simon Scale) by Alfred Binet (1916)
"For this test we begin with the following explanation: "I am going to read you some sentences in which there is something silly. Listen attentively and tell ..."

2. The Development of Intelligence in Children: (the Binet-Simon Scale) by Alfred Binet (1916)
"For this test we begin with the following explanation: "I am going to read you some sentences in which there is something silly. Listen attentively and tell ..."

3. The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by American Committee of Revision (1881)
"6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 9 But they shall proceed no ..."

4. The Living Age by Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1876)
"Of course, it is all done by that silly, ambitious woman. She must have found out the bitterness of it by this time. Have you read the poor child's speech, ..."

5. The Living Age by Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1880)
"And did you not forget ? " she says. " Forget you, Molly, never ! The love of Eton jacket days Is just as green as ever." " You silly boy." " As silly still ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Silly on Dictionary.com!Search for Silly on Thesaurus.com!Search for Silly on Google!Search for Silly on Wikipedia!

Search

Translations