ill

¹ill

adj \ˈil\

worse\ˈwərs\worst\ˈwərst\

Definition of ILL

1

a chiefly Scottish : immoral, vicious b : resulting from, accompanied by, or indicative of an evil or malevolent intention <ill deeds> c : attributing evil or an objectionable quality <held an ill opinion of his neighbors>

2

a : causing suffering or distress <ill weather> b comparative also ill·er superlative also illest (1) : not normal or sound <ill health> (2) : not in good health; also : nauseated

3

a : not suited to circumstances or not to one's advantage : unlucky <an ill omen> b : involving difficulty : hard

4

a : not meeting an accepted standard <ill manners> b archaic : notably unskillful or inefficient

5

: unfriendly, hostile <ill feeling>

Examples of ILL

1. That dog can eat almost anything with no ill effects.
2. They had been subjected to months of ill treatment.

Origin of ILL

Middle English, from Old Norse illr

First Known Use: 12th century

Related to ILL

Synonyms: nauseous, nauseated, qualmish, queasy (also queazy), queer, queerish, sick, sickish, squeamish

Antonyms: anodyne, benign, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, safe

Related Words: green, peaked, peaky, sickly; unsettled, upset, woozy

Near Antonyms: settled; healthy, well

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

Rhymes with ILL

bill, brill, chill, dill, drill, fill, frill, gill, grill, grille, hill, kill, krill, mil, mill, mille, nil, nill, Phil, pill, prill, quill, rill, shill, shrill, sill, skill, spill, squill, still, swill, thill, thrill, til, till, trill, twill, vill, will