silly-how en · NOUN
Etymology
From silly, seely + early form of houve.
Meanings
-
(archaic, dialectal) The caul which sometimes envelops the top of a child's head after birth.
Great conceits are raised of the involution or meembranous covering, commonly called the silly-how, that sometimes is found about the heads of children upon their birth, and is therefore preserved with great care […]
1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, V.23:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| silly-hows | Number=Plur | lexicographic |