Giddies

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To express a sense of joy or excitement in a lighthearted manner
2. To cause someone to feel a state of elation or a euphoric, carefree sensation
3. To induce a playful or frivolous feeling of exhilaration and happiness

Etymology: "Giddies" is the third-person singular present form of the verb "giddy," which means to make someone feel exhilarated or carefree. The verb comes from the adjective, so the story really belongs to "giddy," which once meant something far darker than silliness. Its Old English ancestor, "gidiġ," described a person possessed by a demon or spirit, or driven out of their mind. Behind that lies a Proto-West Germanic form that literally meant "possessed by a god or spirit," built from the root for "god" with a suffix meaning "having the quality of." Over the Middle English centuries the word drifted from spiritual possession toward plain madness, then toward foolishness and unwise behavior. Only later did it come to describe the dizzy, unsteady feeling of a head spinning, and eventually the lighthearted giddiness we know today. The verb is simply that adjective put to work: to giddy someone is to set their wits spinning with delight.

Synonyms: dizzies, lightens, elates

Antonyms: sober, calm