dizzy
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.feeling like you are losing your balance or that everything around you is spinning.
adj.experiencing a sensation of whirling and loss of balance; often associated with vertigo or lightheadedness.
Simple“I felt dizzy after spinning around in circles with the children.”
In context“The patient reported feeling dizzy whenever she stood up too quickly, suggesting a possible issue with her blood pressure.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.behaving in a silly way or forgetting things easily.
adj.behaving in a scatterbrained, frivolous, or empty-headed manner.
Simple“She is a bit dizzy and often leaves her keys in the front door.”
In context“The character was portrayed as a dizzy socialite who, despite her wealth, could never remember the names of her own staff.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is informal and can be slightly insulting, though it is often used affectionately among friends.
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to make someone feel like they are spinning or confused.
v.to cause a sensation of vertigo or to bewilder someone.
Simple“The bright lights and loud music started to dizzy the visitors.”
In context“The sheer speed of the technological changes threatened to dizzy even the most experienced engineers in the firm.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.