Adjective

(en-adj)

Marked by unthinking recklessness with disregard for danger; bold but rash; hotheaded

* {{quote-book

, year=1876 , author=Mark Twain , title=The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , chapter=6 citation , passage=The master’s pulse stood still, and he stared helplessly. The buzz of study ceased. The pupils wondered if this foolhardy boy had lost his mind.}}

* 2000 . Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country , p. 14:

In the middle distance several foolhardy souls in wet suits were surfing toward some foamy outbursts on the rocky headland...

Adjective

(er)

(label) Pitiable; deserving of compassion; helpless.

* 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), (The Faerie Queene) , I.vi:

A silly man, in simple weedes forworne, / And soild with dust of the long dried way; / His sandales were with toilesome trauell torne, / And face all tand with scorching sunny ray

* (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)

After long storms with which my silly bark was tossed sore.

* (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) (1772-1834)

The silly buckets on the deck.

(label) Simple, unsophisticated, ordinary; rustic, ignorant.

* 1633 , (John Donne), "Sapho to Philænis":

For, if we justly call each silly man'' / A ''little island , What shall we call thee than?

* (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)

A fourth man, in a silly habit.

* (John Milton) (1608-1674)

All that did their silly thoughts so busy keep.

Foolish, showing a lack of good sense and wisdom; frivolous, trifling.

Irresponsible, showing irresponsible behaviors.

Semiconscious, witless.

(label) Of a fielding position, very close to the batsman; closer than short.

Simple, not intelligent, unrefined.

* {{quote-book, year=1935, author= George Goodchild

, title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1 , passage=“Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke

(label) Happy; fortunate; blessed.

(Chaucer)

(label) Harmless; innocent; inoffensive.

* (Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)

The silly virgin strove him to withstand.

* Robynson (More's Utopia)

A silly , innocent hare murdered of a dog.