Word: giddy Part of Speech: adj Etymology: The adjective is derived from Middle English gidi, gedy, gydy (“demonically controlled or possessed; crazy, insane; foolish, idiotic, ridiculous, unwise; unsure; (rare) dizzy, shaky; (rare) of an animal: crazed, out of control; a fool”) [and other forms], from Old English gidiġ, gydiġ (“possessed by a demon or spirit, insane, mad”), from Proto-West Germanic *gudīg (“ghostly, spirited”, literally “possessed by a god or spirit”), from *god (“god”) + *-ig, *-g (suffix forming adjectives with the senses of being, doing, or having). The English word is analysable as god + -y (suffix meaning ‘having the quality of’, forming adjectives). The noun and the verb are derived from the adjective. Pronunciation: /ˈɡɪd.i/, [ˈɡɪɾ.i] 1. Feeling a sense of spinning in the head, causing a perception of unsteadiness and being about to fall down; dizzy. Labels: predicative Example: The man became giddy upon standing up so fast. Example: [W]hilst I vvas thus muſing, and attentively looking upon the VVater, to try vvhether I could diſcover the Bottom, it happened to me, as it often does to thoſe that gaze too ſtedfaſtly on ſvvift Streams, that my Head began to grovv giddy, and my Leggs to ſtagger tovvards the River, into vvhich queſtionleſs I had fell, if Philaretus had not ſeaſonably and obligingly prevented it. 2. Causing or likely to cause dizziness or a feeling of unsteadiness. Labels: attributive Example: They climbed to a giddy height. Example: [A]s vve pact along, / Vpon the giddy footing of the hatches: / Me thought that Gloceſter ſtumbled, and in ſtumbling, / Stroke me that thought to ſtay him ouer board, / Into the tumbling billovves of the maine. 3. Moving around something or spinning rapidly. Example: To ſpoil Antiquities of hammerd ſteele, / And turn the giddy round of Fortunes vvheele. Example: So vvhirls a VVheel, in giddy Circle toſt, / And rapid as it runs, the ſingle Spokes are loſt. 4. Unable to concentrate or think seriously; easily excited; impulsive; also, lightheartedly silly; frivolous. Labels: broadly Example: The Biſhop, and the Duke of Gloſters men, / Forbidden late to carry any VVeapon, / Haue fill'd their Pockets full of peeble ſtones; / And banding themſelues in contrary parts, / Doe pelt ſo faſt at one anothers Pate, / That many haue their giddy braynes knockt out: […] Example: [I]n this ſtanding vvoodden cheſt, / Conſorted vvith theſe fevv bookes, let me lye / In priſon, and here be coffin'd, vvhen I dye; / […] / Here gathering Chroniclers, and by them ſtand / Giddie fantaſtique Poëts of each land. 5. Unable to concentrate or think seriously; easily excited; impulsive; also, lightheartedly silly; frivolous. Labels: broadly, dated Example: 'E isn't one o' the reg'lar Line, nor 'e isn't one of the crew. / 'E's a kind of a giddy harumfrodite—soldier an' sailor too! Example: I found him pokin' about the place on his own hook afterwards, an' I thought I'd show him the giddy drill. When I found he was so pleased, I wasn't goin' to damp his giddy ardour. He mightn't ha' given me the quid if I had. 6. Joyfully elated; overcome with excitement or happiness. Labels: broadly Example: The boy was giddy when he opened his birthday presents. Example: I come by note to giue, and to receiue; / Like one of tvvo contending in a prize, / That thinks he hath done vvell in peoples eyes; / Hearing applauſe and vniuerſall ſhout, / Giddy in ſpirit, ſtill gazing in a doubt, / VVhether thoſe pearles^([sic – meaning peals]) of praiſe be his or no. 7. Feeling great anger; furious, raging. Labels: UK, broadly, dialectal 8. Of an animal, chiefly a sheep: affected by gid (“a disease caused by parasitic infestation of the brain by tapeworm larvae”), which may result in the animal turning around aimlessly. Labels: UK, dialectal 9. Of a thing, especially a ship: unsteady, as if dizzy. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: The giddy Ship ran round; the Tempeſt tore / Her Maſt, and over-board the Rudder bore. Example: VVide o'er the vvaſte the rage of Boreas ſvveeps, / And Night ruſh'd headlong on the ſhaded deeps. / Novv here, novv there, the giddy ſhips are born, / And all the rattling ſhrouds in fragments torn.