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. sālig, a, good,
happy, D. zalig blessed, G. selig, OHG.
sālīg, Icel. s?l, Sw. säll,
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.