ill-defined en · ADJ
Etymology
From ill + defined.
Meanings
-
Poorly defined; blurry, out of focus; lacking a clear boundary.
Are you sick, or ill-defined? / Are you lost, or are you just difficult to come by?
2020, Myles McCabe, “Stellar Abattoir”, in Triceratops, performed by ME REX:An ill-defined dislike, a little like jealousy, arose in Henrietta's mind; a little, however, mitigated by observing that the gentleman instantly caught sight of herself; and that, when not absolutely forced to look at his companion, he looked towards her.
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 45–46:
- Defined in an inconsistent way.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most ill-defined | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more ill-defined | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |