dizzy

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See also: Dizzy

English

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Pronunciation

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  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈdɪzi/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪzi

Etymology 1

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 dizzy on Wikipedia

From Middle English dysy, desy, dusi, from Old English dysiġ (stupid, foolish), from Proto-West Germanic *dusīg (stunned; dazed), likely from the root of Proto-Germanic *dwēsaz (foolish, stupid).

Akin to West Frisian dize (fog), Dutch deusig, duizig (dizzy), duizelig (dizzy), German dösig (sleepy; stupid).

Adjective

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dizzy (comparative dizzier, superlative dizziest)

  1. Experiencing a sensation of whirling and of being giddy, unbalanced, or lightheaded.
    I stood up too fast and felt dizzy.
    • 1627, Michaell Drayton [i.e., Michael Drayton], “Nimphidia. The Court of Fayrie.”, in The Battaile of Agincourt. [], London: [] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for VVilliam Lee, [], published 1631, →OCLC:
      Alas! his brain was dizzy.
  2. Producing giddiness.
    Synonym: dizzying
    We climbed to a dizzy height.
  3. Empty-headed, scatterbrained or frivolous; ditzy.
    My new secretary is a dizzy blonde.
  4. (UK dialectal, Yorkshire) simple, half-witted.
    • 1952 Albert Lyon Hoy, An Etymologal Glossary of the East Yorkshire Dialect
      Them as diz ’at is dizzy.
      Those who do that are half-witted.
Alternative forms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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dizzy (third-person singular simple present dizzies, present participle dizzying, simple past and past participle dizzied)

  1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) dizzy; to bewilder.
Translations
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Etymology 2

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Noun

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dizzy (plural dizzies)

  1. (slang, automotive) A distributor (device in internal combustion engine).
    • 2005, Roger Williams, How to Give Your MGB V8 Power, page 201:
      A service exchange distributor usually needs to be ordered by a motor factor and cost £150-200! I would suggest you use the SD1 dizzy body/cap etc but change the trigger mechanism to a modern electronic/breakerless unit such as the Newtronic unit.