giddy

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”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- (“to pour”), possibly in the sense of a libation made to a deity) + *-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.

adj

1. Feeling a sense of spinning in the head, causing a perception of unsteadiness and being about to fall down; dizzy.
   The man became giddy upon standing up so fast.
   Susan loved to drink wine, and I was not a drinker at all, so I'd just sit there and watch her drink glass after glass and get giddier and giddier. 12 April 2010, Bruce Kimmel, chapter 6, in “There’s Mel, There’s Woody, and There’s You”: My Life in the Slow Lane, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, page 143
2. Causing or likely to cause dizziness or a feeling of unsteadiness.
   They climbed to a giddy height.
3. Moving around something or spinning rapidly.
4. (by extension)
   1. Unable to concentrate or think seriously; easily excited; impulsive; also, lightheartedly silly; frivolous.
      1. (dated) Used as an intensifier.
   2. Joyfully elated; overcome with excitement or happiness.
      The boy was giddy when he opened his birthday presents.
      But I vvonder, that either theſe good men, or my mamma ſhou'd think, becauſe they may find it pleaſant vvho are come to maturity of judgment, that ſuch as vve vvho are in the gayeſt and giddyeſt part of life ſhou'd. 1767, “Dialogue I. Between Philip and Henry, Concerning the Importance of Early Religion.”, in The Friendly Instructor; or, A Companion for Young Ladies, and Young Gentlemen:[…], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] J. Buckland,[…], →OCLC, page 4
   3. (Britain, dialectal) Feeling great anger; furious, raging.
5. (Britain, dialectal, agriculture, veterinary medicine) 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.
6. (obsolete, figurative) Of a thing, especially a ship: unsteady, as if dizzy.

noun

1. Someone or something that is frivolous or impulsive.
   But the giddy, the idle, and the frivolous part of the vvorld vvill inceſſantly purſue a phantom, and graſp a ſhadovv. 1778 September, X. X., “The Observer. Number LVII.”, in The Town and Country Magazine; or, Universal Repository of Knowledge, Instruction, and Entertainment, volume X, London: […] A[rchibald] Hamilton Jun.[…]; [a]nd sold by G[eorge] Robinson,[…], →OCLC, page 487, column 2
2. (Britain, agriculture, veterinary medicine) Synonym of gid (“a disease caused by parasitic infestation of the brain by tapeworm larvae”)

verb

1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) dizzy">dizzy or unsteady; to dizzy">dizzy.
2. (intransitive)
   1. To become dizzy or unsteady.
      Giddied, he gave up a moment's purchase of ground. 1981, Nadine Gordimer, July’s People, 1st UK edition, London: Jonathan Cape[…], page 98
   2. (obsolete) To move around something or spin rapidly; to reel; to whirl.