Etymology From Middle English seely, sēlī, from Old English sǣliġ, ġesǣliġ (“lucky, fortunate”), from Proto-West Germanic *sālīg, from *sāli; equivalent to seel (“happiness, bliss”) + -y. Doublet of Seelie. The semantic evolution is “lucky” to “innocent” to “naive” to “foolish”. Compare the similar evolution of daft (originally meaning “accommodating”), and almost the reverse with nice (originally meaning “ignorant”).
Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.
They were laughing at a silly joke.
silly grin
3 more examples
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:
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Of numbers Absurdly large.
Particularly prices
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
The sylyman lay and herde, / And hys wyf answerd.a. 1450, Seven Sages, line 1361
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:
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
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:
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
In the silly lambis skin He crap als far as he micht win.a. 1513, William Dunbar, Poems, section 247:
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:
2 more examples
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:
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Northern England, Scotland, Rare Insignificant, worthless, (chiefly Scotland) especially with regard to land quality.
Ane sillie scheill vnder ane erdfast stanea. 1500, Aesop, translated by Robert Henryson, Two Mice:
[…]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:
1 more example
It is naturally very poor, ‘silly’ land.1907, Transactions of the Highland & Agricultural Society, 19, 172:
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:
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That'll never grow. It's ower silly.1946, Scottish National Dictionary, published 1971, Vol. VIII, 234/3:
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:
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Thoughtless, lacking judgment.
silly mistake
Wee sillie soules, take the matter too too heauily.1576, Abraham Fleming translating Sulpicius, A Panoplie of Epistles, 24
4 more examples
‘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:
Fow ȝellow ȝellow wes hir heid bot scho of lufe wes sillie.1568, Christis Kirk on Grene:
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:
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Stupefied, senseless; stunned or dazed.
You say you were knocked silly—was that so?1829 January 17, Lancaster Gazette
Drinking myself silly...1907, John Millington Synge, Playboy of the Western World, iii, 64:
2 more examples
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:
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Ball games, Cricket, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, SportsOf a fielding position Very 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
Etymology From Middle English seely, sēlī, from Old English sǣliġ, ġesǣliġ (“lucky, fortunate”), from Proto-West Germanic *sālīg, from *sāli; equivalent to seel (“happiness, bliss”) + -y. Doublet of Seelie. The semantic evolution is “lucky” to “innocent” to “naive” to “foolish”. Compare the similar evolution of daft (originally meaning “accommodating”), and almost the reverse with nice (originally meaning “ignorant”).
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:
silly
noun
Etymology From Middle English seely, sēlī, from Old English sǣliġ, ġesǣliġ (“lucky, fortunate”), from Proto-West Germanic *sālīg, from *sāli; equivalent to seel (“happiness, bliss”) + -y. Doublet of Seelie. The semantic evolution is “lucky” to “innocent” to “naive” to “foolish”. Compare the similar evolution of daft (originally meaning “accommodating”), and almost the reverse with nice (originally meaning “ignorant”).
While they, poor sillies, bid good night, O' love an' bogles eerie.1807 May, Scots Magazine, 366/1
"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: