Part 397

Sill, n. [Cf. 4th Sile.] A young herring. [Eng.]

Sil"la*bub (?), n. [Cf. sile to strain, and bub liquor, also Prov. E. sillibauk.] A dish made by mixing wine or cider with milk, and thus forming a soft curd; also, sweetened cream, flavored with wine and beaten to a stiff froth. [Written also syllabub.]

Sil"ler (?), n. Silver. [Scot.]

Sil"li*ly (?), adv. [From Silly.] In a silly manner; foolishly. Dryden.

Sil"li*man*ite (?), n. [After Benjamin Siliman, an American meneralogist.] (Min.) Same as Fibrolite.

Sil"li*ness, n. The quality or state of being silly.

Sil"lock (?), n. (Zoöl.) The pollock, or coalfish.

Sil"lon (?), n. [F., a furrow.] (Fort.) A work raised in the middle of a wide ditch, to defend it. Crabb.

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. slig, a, good, happy, D. zalig blessed, G. selig, OHG. slg, 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.

Sil"ly*how (?), n. [Prov. E. silly- hew; cf. AS. slig happy, good, and hfe a cap, hood. See Silly, a.] A caul. See Caul, n., 3. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]