[ˈsɪli], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- having or showing a lack of common sense or judgement; absurd and foolish
(e.g: another of his silly jokes)

- helpless; defenceless (typically used of a woman, child, or animal)

- denoting fielding positions very close to the batter
(e.g: silly mid-on)


Phrases:
- the silly season

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’

[ˈsɪli], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a foolish person (often used as a form of address)
(e.g: come on, silly)


Phrases:
- the silly season

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’