~ 1
■ noun informal a silly or foolish person.
Origin
C19: from ~ 2 (referring to the bird's actions when escaping from danger), perh. influenced by ~y .
————————
~ 2
■ noun North American term for diver (in sense 2).
Origin
C17: prob. by alt. of Shetland dialect loom , denoting especially a guillemot or a diver.
————————
~ 3
■ verb Brit. informal act in a foolish or desultory way.
Origin
1960s: of unknown origin.