sillyly

English

Etymology

silly +‎ -ly

Adverb

sillyly (comparative more sillyly, superlative most sillyly)

1. Obsolete spelling of sillily
   • 1581, Richard Mulcaster, Positions Wherein Those Primitive Circumstances Be Examined, Which Are Necessarie for the Traning Vp of Children, Either for Skill of Their Booke, or Health of Their Bodie, published 1887, page 126:

     […]: and that the soule it selfe is but sillyly looked to, while the bodie is in price, and to much borne with, as is generally seene: […]

   • 1673, The Christian-Quaker and His Divine Testimony Vindicated, Against the Adversaries of the True Light; Being the Second Part, Containing a More Particular Answer to the Baptists (and others) Arguments, Exceptions, Errors and Falasies Herein Specified, page 60:

     Reader be pleaſed to view over theſe two Accounts (touching the Controverſy between Tho. Hicks and John Story) that It may be underſtood how Sillyly Tho. Hicks came off about his falſe Charge againſt the Quakers, […]

   • a. 1680, Samuel Butler, Satires and Miscellaneous Poetry, page 203:

     So some that passe for Deepe Astrologers / Have made great Princes Presents of New-stars, / As Virtuosos sillyly have don / And giv’n away whole Ilands in the Moon: […]

   • 1730, William Nichols, A Defence of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, the third edition, London: […] J. Batley […]; and H. Parker […], page 128:

     […]: Withal very ſillyly finding fault with the Style of our Sermons, which even every wiſe Man among the Diſſenters themſelves do approve of: […]

   • 1770, The Trial of His R. H. the D. of C. Duke of Cumberland July 5th, 1770. for criminal conversation with Lady Harriet G----------r. […], London: […] John Walker, page 33:

     the report you know my love is very is false therefore that particular dont make me uneaſy as it will be proved to the contrary by seeing we live together, it was some spiteful person raised it maliciously and very sillyly indeed