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   silly

   /ˈsɪli/

   adjective

   • 1. having or showing a lack of common sense or judgement; absurd and foolish: "another of his silly jokes" Similar foolishstupidunintelligentidioticbrainlessmindlesswitlessimbecilicimbeciledoltishimprudentthoughtlessrashrecklessfoolhardyirresponsiblemaderraticunstablescatterbrainedfeather-brainedflightyfrivolousgiddyfatuousinaneimmaturechildishpuerilehalf-bakedempty-headedhalf-wittedslow-wittedweak-mindedinformal:crazyloopyscrewysoftbrain-deadcretinousthickthickheadedbirdbrainedpea-brainedpinheadeddopeydimdim-witteddippypie-facedfat-headedblockheadedboneheadedlamebrainedchuckleheadeddunderheadedwooden-headedmuttonheadeddamfooldaftdottyscattydivvydappyglaikitdumb-asschowderheadeddofdotishdated:tomfoolunwiseimprudentthoughtlessfoolishstupididioticsenselessmindlessfatuousrashrecklessfoolhardyirresponsibleinadvisableinjudiciousill-consideredmisguidedinappropriateillogicalirrationalunreasonablehare-brainedabsurdridiculousludicrouslaughablerisiblefarcicalpreposterousasinineinformal:crazydaftOpposite sensiblerationalsensiblerational
   • ▪ ridiculously trivial or frivolous: "he would brood about silly things" Similar trivialtriflingfrivolousfootlingpettynigglingsmallslightminorinsignificantunimportantinconsequentialof little accountinformal:pifflingpiddlingsmall-boreOpposite important
   • ▪ used to convey that an activity or process has been engaged in to such a degree that someone is no longer capable of thinking or acting sensibly: "he often drank himself silly" Similar senselessinsensibleunconsciousstupiddopeyinto a stuporinto oblivioninto senselessnessinto a dazenumbdazedstunnedstupefiedgroggymuzzy
   • 2. helpless; defenceless (typically used of a woman, child, or animal). archaic
   • 3. denoting fielding positions very close to the batter: "silly mid-on"

   noun

   • 1. a foolish person (often used as a form of address): informal "come on, silly"

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘deserving of pity or sympathy’): alteration of dialect seely ‘happy’, later ‘innocent, feeble’, from a West Germanic base meaning ‘luck, happiness’. The sense ‘foolish’ developed via the stages ‘feeble’ and ‘unsophisticated, ignorant’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. sillily adverb

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • S

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   • I

     1

   • L

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   • L

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   • Y

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