WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Sil"ly
Part of Speech : a.
Etymology : [OE. seely, sely, AS. s, ges, happy, good, fr. s, s, good, happy, s good fortune, happines; akin to OS. salig, a, good, happy, D. zalig blessed, G. selig, OHG. salig, Icel. s, Sw. s?ll, Dan. salig, Goth. s good, kind, and perh. also to L. sollus whole, en
Definition : 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.

[Compar. Sillier; superl. Silliest.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913