Dictionary

ill en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ɪl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ille (“evil; wicked”), from Old Norse íllr (adjective), ílla (adverb), ílt (noun), from Proto-Germanic *ilhilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁elḱ- (whence Latin ulcus (“sore”), Ancient Greek ἕλκος (hélkos, “wound, ulcer”), Sanskrit अर्शस् (árśas, “hemorrhoids”)). Cognates Cognate with Scots and Yola ill, Danish ilde (“bad”), Faroese, Icelandic illur (“bad, ill, wicked”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk ille (“bad”), Swedish illa (“badly; poorly”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Evil; wicked (of people).
   • A man who is conscious of having an ill character, cannot justly be angry with those who neglect and slight him. 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
   • St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. 1709 December 6, Francis Atterbury, A Sermon Preached before the Sons of the Clergy, at their Anniversary-Meeting, in the Church of St. Paul:
2. (archaic) Morally reprehensible (of behaviour etc.); blameworthy.
   • ‘Go bring her. It is ill to keep a lady waiting.’ 1999, George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published 2011, page 2:
3. Indicative of unkind or malevolent intentions; harsh, cruel.
   • He suffered from ill treatment.
4. Unpropitious, unkind, faulty, not up to reasonable standard.
   • […]his lordship was out of humour. That was the way Chollacombe described as knaggy an old gager as ever Charles had had the ill-fortune to serve. Stiff-rumped, that's what he was, always rubbing the rust, or riding grub, like he had been for months past. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
   • ill manners; ill will
5. Unwell in terms of health or physical condition; sick.
   • mentally ill people
   • I've been ill with the flu for the past few days.
   • “We desperately needed the nursing support because our ICUs are so inundated with critically ill Covid patients,” Brown said. 2021 August 14, Christina Maxouris, “‘Bursting at the seams’: Full ICUs are creating a dangerous ER backlog and forcing hospitals to cancel surgeries”, in CNN:
   • Sue made herself ill through overwork.
6. Nauseated; having an urge to vomit.
   • Seeing those pictures made me ill.
7. (slang) Sublime, with the connotation of being so in a singularly creative way.
   • This is the illest beat I've ever heard.
   • Biggie Smalls is the illest / Your style is played out, like Arnold wonderin "Whatchu talkin bout, Willis?" 1994, Biggie Smalls, “The What”:
8. (slang) Extremely bad (bad enough to make one ill). Generally used indirectly with to be.
   • That band was ill.
9. (dated) Unwise; not a good idea.
   • Oh that when the devil and flesh entice the sinner to sport with and make a mock of sin, Prov. x. 23, he would but consider, it is ill jesting with edged tools, it is ill jesting with unquenchable burnings; […] 1672, George Swinnock, The Incomparableness of God:
   • They arrested everybody—and it is ill to resist a drunken Tommy with a loaded rifle! 1914, Indian Ink, volume 1, page 32:
10. (Appalachia) Bad-tempered.

Forms

Antonyms

healthy (antonym(s) of “suffering from a disease”) · well (antonym(s) of “suffering from a disease”) · wack (antonym(s) of) · fine (antonym(s) of “suffering from a disease”) · hale (antonym(s) of “suffering from a disease”) · in good health (antonym(s) of “suffering from a disease”) · good (antonym(s) of “bad”)

Deriveds

ill humor (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · nonill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill turn (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-treatment (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · moorill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illfare (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · it's an ill wind that blows no one any good (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-famed (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill news spreads apace (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-scented (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · be taken ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-starred (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · lie ill in one's mouth (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · it's an ill wind (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · in ill part (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-thrift (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illderly (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · bird of ill omen (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · take ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill luck (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-willed (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill off (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · terminally ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-willing (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · woman of ill fame (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-looking (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · quarter-ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill blood (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illbient (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · it's an ill wind that blows no good (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · house of ill fame (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-wisher (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-adapted (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-wish (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-being (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · wish someone ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill effect (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill effects (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illness (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill wind (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill humour (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · fall ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-repute (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill health (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-usage (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill will (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · mentally ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill name (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illish (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-ease (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · moor-ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-fortune (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · with ill grace (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illbeing (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illwisher (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill feeling (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · it's an ill bird that fouls its own nest (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-omened (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illsome (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill-use (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · do ill (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · illth (Terms derived from ill (adjective)) · ill fame (Terms derived from ill (adjective))

Hyponyms

bedfast · bedbound · bedridden · diseased · nauseated · cancerous · laid up

Synonyms

on the Pat and Mick · crank · icky · sick (suffering from a disease) · sick (having an urge to vomit) · dope (in hip-hop slang: sublime) · punk · diseased (suffering from a disease) · valetudinary · queer · sicken (having an urge to vomit) · nauseous (having an urge to vomit) · disgusted (having an urge to vomit) · off one's feed · sickly · puny · bad (bad) · indisposed · tumid · under the weather (suffering from a disease) · maladive · unhealthy · ropy · crook · ill · sickish · nauseated (having an urge to vomit) · like death warmed over · ailing (suffering from a disease) · out of sorts · green about the gills · rough · sick as a parrot · infirm · mawkish · lousy · valetudinarian · Pat and Mick · mal- (bad) · sick as a dog · unwell (suffering from a disease) · poorly (suffering from a disease)

Translations (243)

af siek (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tet moras (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tk kesel (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tk syrkaw (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ba сырхау (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · xcl հիւանդ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · vo malädik (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sv illamående (having an urge to vomit) · no kvalm (having an urge to vomit) · de krank (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ckb نەخۆش (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tg касал (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · it malato (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · io malada (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · el άρρωστος (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · uz nosogʻ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fy siik (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ttt naxuş (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · got 𐌿𐌽𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lo ຕົກອັບ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ga tinn (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nrf malade (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hy հիվանդ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ba ауырыу (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ps مريض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tpi sik (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tg мариз (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · de schlecht (having an urge to vomit) · osx siok (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · my နေထိုင်မကောင်း (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · es enfermo (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · eo malsana (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mdf сяряди (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fi sairas (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ltg navasals (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · la īnfirmus (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cmn 病 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mfe malad (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · bn অসুস্থ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · to mahaki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · yi קרענקלעך (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · txb tekiññe (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · msk masakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · aln smu (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sa अस्वस्थ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · gl doente (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nl krank (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mww mob (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi maki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sd بیمار (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tg бемор (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · uz kasal (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rgn mêl (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · de siech (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ary مريض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi mahaki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ms sakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · uz xasta (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fr malade (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · gd tinn (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ja 病気 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cy sâl (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ms gering (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nl misselijk (having an urge to vomit) · de übel (having an urge to vomit) · xmf ლეხიანი (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fr s (in hip-hop slang: sublime) · ang ādliġ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sk chorý (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · dng бемар (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · xcl խօթ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · is sjúkur (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ka ავადმყოფი (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fa بیمار (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ky оору (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sg kobêla (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · za bingh (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · unm palsi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi manauhea (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup shuplicat (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ur بیمار (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ka სნეული (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · is veikur (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tly noxəş (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · so xanuun (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · shu مرضان (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · id sakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · he חוֹלֶה (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · be хво́ры (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lb krank (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · az xəstə (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · km ឈឺ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · is lasinn (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mn ᠥᠪᠡᠳᠴᠢᠲᠡᠢ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nb syk (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kk науқас (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mn өвчтэй (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ru больно́й (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · da kvalm (having an urge to vomit) · ar مَرِيض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · pl chory (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sv sjuk (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nl ziek (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hi अस्वस्थ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · se buozas (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lad malo (Izmir) (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ace saket (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kaw lara (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · si අසනීප (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kmr nexweş (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ky оорулуу (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · liv rujā (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · eu gaixo (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · to puke (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mt marid (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ti ሕሙም (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lzz ზაბუნი (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tk näsag (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sk nemocný (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · pt doente (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ckt тъытԓьэн (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi tarutaruhea (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · uz bemor (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · da syg (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lv sasirdzis (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup niputut (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · xag 𐔱𐔰𐕅 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hi बीमार (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mrw kasakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · oj aakozi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nn sjuk (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · so bukaan (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tl may sakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kk дімкәс (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sh bȍlestan (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · yue 病 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · id mual (having an urge to vomit) · tr hasta (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · id jijik (having an urge to vomit) · ko 병들다 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · myv ормав (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · vi bệnh (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi māuiui (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · se buohcci (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ru хво́рый (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rm malsaun (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · or ବେମାରିଆ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · bi siki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ttt bimar (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sw -gonjwa (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ba сирле (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · dsb chóry (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ug كېسەل (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · am ሕሙም (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ps بيمار (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fa مریض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ky ноокас (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tr sayrı (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ty maʻi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · la aegrōtus (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup lãntsid (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ht malad (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ovd siuok (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lt sergantis (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · uk хво́рий (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lut ʔəsʔi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hu beteg (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · grc ἄρρωστος (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kl napparsimasoq (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lo ເຈັບ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nl zieke (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup hivrit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · yi געלעגן צו בעט (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fr écœurée (having an urge to vomit) · pdt krank (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · az naxoş (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · vi ốm (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ia malade (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cu больнъ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ang seoc (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ga adhascaideach (having an urge to vomit) · izh kippiä (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · th ไม่สบาย (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kk ауру (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lad hazino (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ill masakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · th ป่วย (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ngh ʘʻuiʻiki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · km ថ្កាត់ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · haw maʻi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup lãndzit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · la aeger (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · es mareado (having an urge to vomit) · oc malaut (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lv slims (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cho abeka (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fo sjúkur (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mi wheori (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sl bolan (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ota خسته (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · bg бо́лен (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · gl enfermo (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hi रोगी (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · hsb chory (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tt авыру (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · et haige (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · mk болен (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · pis siki (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rup lãndzidzãt (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ovd klien (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ast enfermu (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tly مریض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · dng бин (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · akl masakit (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · jv lara (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ky сыркоолуу (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cic abika (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sq i sëmurë (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · tk hassa (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lad hazina (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · bo ནན་ཏེ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ca malalt (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · lad hazinu (Monastir) (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ur مریض (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ro abătut (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sm maʻi (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · es mal (having an urge to vomit) · bo ན (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · kk сырқат (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · cs nemocný (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · fr écœuré (having an urge to vomit) · lo ບໍ່ສະບາຍ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · nb sjuk (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sh бо̏лестан (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · es mareado (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · sa रुग्ण (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ro bolnav (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ko 앓다 (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · ur علیل (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · yi קראַנק (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · rom nasvalo (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · my နာ (in poor health, suffering from a disease) · arz عيان (in poor health, suffering from a disease)

ill en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ɪl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ille (“evil; wicked”), from Old Norse íllr (adjective), ílla (adverb), ílt (noun), from Proto-Germanic *ilhilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁elḱ- (whence Latin ulcus (“sore”), Ancient Greek ἕλκος (hélkos, “wound, ulcer”), Sanskrit अर्शस् (árśas, “hemorrhoids”)). Cognates Cognate with Scots and Yola ill, Danish ilde (“bad”), Faroese, Icelandic illur (“bad, ill, wicked”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk ille (“bad”), Swedish illa (“badly; poorly”).

Meanings

1. Not well; imperfectly, badly
   • He would have conversed as usual; but his attempts were so ill seconded, that he was fain to take refuge in the letters that lay beside him. 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “A Proposal of Marriage”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 126:
   • Within, I found it, as I had expected, transcendently dismal. The slowly changing shadows waved on it from the heavy trees, were doleful in the last degree; the house was ill-placed, ill-built, ill-planned, and ill-fitted. 1859 December 13, Charles Dickens [et al.], “(please specify the name of the story)”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round […], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Whiting, […], →OCLC:
   • Is it because this supposes an undifferentiated violence towards others and oneself that I could ill imagine in a woman? 2006, Julia Borossa (translator), Monique Canto-Sperber (quoted author), in Libération, 2002 February 2, quoted in Élisabeth Badinter (quoting author), Dead End Feminism, Polity, page 40
   • His inflexibility and blindness ill become a leader, for a leader must temper justice with mercy. 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 541:
   • In both groups, however, we find copious and intricate speciation so that, often, species limits are narrow and ill defined. 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 3:
   • Such jealousy ill becomes her; she can ill afford another gaffe like that.

Forms

Antonyms

well

Deriveds

illlit (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-natured (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-received (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-founded (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-named (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-proportioned (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-chosen (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-informed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-qualified (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-conceived (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-got gains (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-advised (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-matched (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-mannered (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-sorted (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-disguised (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-grounded (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-fitting (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-directed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-assorted (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-behaved (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-favoured (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-considered (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-gotten gains never prosper (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-thought-out (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-disposed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-fed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-concealed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-judged (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-use (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-suited (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-boding (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-timed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-conditioned (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · shame to him who thinks ill of it (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-treat (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-constructed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-groomed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-deserved (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-posed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-prepared (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-equipped (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-spent (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · speak ill of (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill at ease (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-seen (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-begotten (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-kempt (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-fated (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-gotten gains (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-defined (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-intentioned (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-lit (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-scathe (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill behaved (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-bred (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-gotten (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-placed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-formed (Terms derived from ill (adverb)) · ill-tempered (Terms derived from ill (adverb))

Synonyms

illy

Translations (6)

pl źle (not well) · bg зле (not well) · fr mal (not well) · hu rosszul (not well) · mk болно (not well) · es mal (not well)

ill en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ille (“evil; wicked”), from Old Norse íllr (adjective), ílla (adverb), ílt (noun), from Proto-Germanic *ilhilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁elḱ- (whence Latin ulcus (“sore”), Ancient Greek ἕλκος (hélkos, “wound, ulcer”), Sanskrit अर्शस् (árśas, “hemorrhoids”)). Cognates Cognate with Scots and Yola ill, Danish ilde (“bad”), Faroese, Icelandic illur (“bad, ill, wicked”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk ille (“bad”), Swedish illa (“badly; poorly”).

Meanings

1. (countable, qualifier:often pluralized, uncountable) Trouble; distress; misfortune; adversity.
   • Music won't solve all the world's ills, but it can make them easier to bear.
   • That makes us rather bear those ills we have / Than fly to others that we know not of. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
   • Then he commenced to talk, really talk. and inside of two flaps of a herring's fin he had me mesmerized, like Eben Holt's boy at the town hall show. He talked about the ills of humanity, and the glories of health and Nature and service and land knows what all. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter IV, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
2. (countable, uncountable) Harm or injury.
   • Loue worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore loue is the fulfilling of the Law. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Romans 13:10:
   • I wouldn't want you to do me ill.
3. (countable, uncountable) Evil; moral wrongfulness.
   • Strong virtue, like strong nature, struggles still, / Exerts itself, and then throws off the ill. 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
4. (countable, uncountable) A physical ailment; an illness.
   • I am incapacitated by rheumatism and other ills.
5. (US, slang, uncountable) PCP, phencyclidine.

Forms

Deriveds

for good or ill · louping ill · ill-doer · thorter-ill · ill-doing

Translations (10)

vo maläd (a physical ailment; an illness) · bg трудност (a problem) · bg беда (a problem) · bg мъчнотия (a problem) · bg болест (a physical ailment; an illness) · pl krzywda (something damaging) · bg щета (something damaging) · mk зло (a problem) · pl problem (a problem) · de Übel (a problem)

ill en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪl/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English ille (“evil; wicked”), from Old Norse íllr (adjective), ílla (adverb), ílt (noun), from Proto-Germanic *ilhilaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁elḱ- (whence Latin ulcus (“sore”), Ancient Greek ἕλκος (hélkos, “wound, ulcer”), Sanskrit अर्शस् (árśas, “hemorrhoids”)). Cognates Cognate with Scots and Yola ill, Danish ilde (“bad”), Faroese, Icelandic illur (“bad, ill, wicked”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk ille (“bad”), Swedish illa (“badly; poorly”).

Meanings

1. (dated, intransitive, slang) To behave aggressively.
   • D.M.C.: You been illin' lately. Run: So, I'm illin'. Am I illin'? Chillin'! You know what I'm sayin'? Chillin'. 1985, Ralph Farquhar, Krush Groove:
   • 1989, Rob'n'Raz feat. Leila K, Got to Get Step back, relax, and chill as I thrill / The K is back, I'm not here to ill / Layin' knowledge through the mic / Hype with a beat like this for your delight

Forms