different between fitful vs giddy

English

Etymology

From fit +? -ful.

Pronunciation

Adjective

fitful (comparative more fitful, superlative most fitful)

1. Irregular; unsteady; characterized by fits.

   His breathing was fitful.

   • 1605, Shakespeare, Macbeth, act III

     […] Duncan is in his grave;

     After life's fitful fever he sleeps well;

   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick, chapter 123

     The cabin lamp—taking long swings this way and that— was burning fitfully, and casting fitful shadows upon the old man’s bolted door [...]

   • 2012, The Economist, The economy: Don’t say “green shoots”

     So fitful has Britain’s economy been that any good news is understandably snatched at.

Synonyms

• intermittent, spasmodic; see also Thesaurus:discontinuous

Derived terms

• fitfully
• fitfulness

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English guidie, guydie, gydi (“possessed by a demon; crazy, insane; foolish; dizzy”), from Old English gidi?, gydi? (“possessed by a spirit or demon, mad, insane”), from Proto-Germanic *gud?gaz (“ghostly, spirited”, literally “possessed by a god or spirit”), equivalent to god +? -y.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??di/

• Rhymes: -?di

Adjective

giddy (comparative giddier, superlative giddiest)

1. Dizzy, feeling dizzy or unsteady and as if about to fall down.

2. Causing dizziness: causing dizziness or a feeling of unsteadiness.

3. Lightheartedly silly, or joyfully elated.
   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant Of Venice, Act III Scene 2

     Hearing applause and universal shout,

     Giddy in spirit, still gazing, in a doubt

     Whether those peals of praise be his or no;

4. (archaic) Frivolous, impulsive, inconsistent, changeable.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, Act V Scene 4

     In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it, for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.

   • 1784, William Cowper, Tirocinium; or, A Review of Schools

     Young heads are giddy and young hearts are warm,

     And make mistakes for manhood to reform.

Synonyms

• dizzy

Derived terms

• giddily
• giddiness
• giddisome
• my giddy aunt

Translations

See also

• vertiginous

Verb

giddy (third-person singular simple present giddies, present participle giddying, simple past and past participle giddied)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To make dizzy or unsteady.
2. To reel; to whirl.