sillily, adv.
(ˈsɪlɪlɪ)
[f. silly a. + -ly2.]
† 1. Poorly, badly. Obs. rare.
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxv. (1887) 126 The soule it selfe is but sillyly looked to, while the bodie is in price. 1611 Cotgr., s.v. Manger, He that makes himselfe simple shall be sillily vsed. |
2. In a foolish, absurd, or senseless manner.
| 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 256 How doe wee sillily call all Idolatrous, that is in vse amongst Idolaters? 1658 A. Fox Würtz' Surg. iii. xi. 248 Such Wounds which were very deep, and were silily and ignorantly stitched. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 466 ¶6 [She] affects to please so sillily, that..you see the Simpleton from Head to Foot. 1740–1 Richardson Pamela I. xxiv. 67 He sat down, and look'd at me, and..as sillily as such a poor Girl as I. 1805 Spirit Publ. Jrnls. IX. 4 They sillily interested themselves in the event of a new experiment. 1843 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 254 Neither have I sillily paid four or five pounds away for it. 1864 Browning Dram. Pers. Wks. 1896 I. 573/2, I took your arm And sillily smiled. |