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lding; a timber laid horizontally on or near the ground to support the uprights; a ground sill or groundsel. (b) (Railroads) A bed plate for sleepers or ties; a mudsill. (c) (Teleg.) A metallic plate buried in the earth to conduct the electric current thereto. Connection to the pipes of a gas or water main is usual in…

To make a sentimental or untimely exhibition of affection; to display enthusiasm in a silly, demonstrative manner. [Colloq.]

Weak in intellect; silly.

Capriciously; whimsically. We resolve rashly, sillily, or humorously. Calamy.

Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren. "Deserts idle." Shak. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Matt. xii. 36. Down their idle weapons dropped. Milton. This idle story became important. Macaulay.

Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly. His shipping, Poor ignorant baubles! -- on our terrible seas, Like eggshells moved. Shak.

An inane, useless thing or pursuit; a vanity; a silly object; -- chiefly in pl.; as, the inanities of the world.

Silly; useless; nonsensical; absurd; foolish. To view attention as a special act of intelligence, and to distinguish it from consciousness, is utterly inept. Sir W. Hamilton.

Simplicity or plainness, bordering on weakness or silliness; artlessness; ingenuousness. Chaucer. Shak.

Having little or no knowledge; ignorant; stupid; silly. [R.] N. Bacon.

In any framed work, a horizontal tie other than sill and plate or other principal ties, securing uprights to one another.

An impertinent or silly fellow; a simpleton; a boor; a clown; also, a servant; a rustic. "Jack fool." Chaucer. Since every Jack became a gentleman, There 's many a gentle person made a Jack. Shak.

A silly, pert girl; -- corresponding to jackanapes. Massinger.

the times, more than led by his own disposition, to any rigor of actions. Eikon Basilike. Silly women, laden with sins,led away by divers lusts. 2 Tim. iii. 6 (Rev. Ver.).

r extremities to supporting steel legs, driven into the round as piling, or resting on mudsills.

A silly person. [Obs.] A liripoop, vel lerripoop, a silly, empty creature; an old dotard. Milles. MS. Devon Gloss.

Tearful; easily moved to tears; exciting to tears; excessively sentimental; weak and silly. "Maudlin eyes." Dryden. "Maudlin eloquence." Roscommon. "A maudlin poetess." Pope. "Maudlin crowd." Southey.

Silly; weakly sentimental. [Colloq.] G. Eliot.

Foolish; silly; simple; ignorant; also, weak; effeminate. [Obs.] Gower. But say that we ben wise and nothing nice. Chaucer.

A fool; a silly or stupid person. [Law] An old ninnyhammer, a dotard, a nincompoop, is the best language she can afford me. Addison.