Silly \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. s[=a]lig, a, good, happy, D. zalig blessed, G. selig, OHG. s[=a]l[=i]g, Icel. s?l, Sw. s["a]ll, 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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)