ail

¹ail

verb \ˈāl\

Definition of AIL

transitive verb

: to give physical or emotional pain, discomfort, or trouble to

intransitive verb

: to have something the matter; especially : to suffer ill health

Examples of AIL

1. This medicine is good for what ails you.
2. His back was ailing him.
3. She has been ailing for years.

Origin of AIL

Middle English eilen, from Old English eglan; akin to Gothic agljan to harm

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to AIL

Synonyms

agitate, disturb, alarm (also alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worry

Antonyms

calm, compose, quiet, settle, soothe, tranquilize (also tranquillize)

Related Words

aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy (or chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerve

Near Antonyms

allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate

Other Medicine Terms

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

Rhymes with AIL

ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

²ail

noun

Definition of AIL

: ailment

Examples of AIL

1. <half of the staff is out sick with the usual wintertime ails>

First Known Use of AIL

13th century

Related to AIL

Synonyms

affection, disease, ailment, bug, complaint, complication, condition, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, ill, illness, infirmity, malady, sickness, trouble

Antonyms

health, wellness

Related Words

contagion, contagious disease; contagium, infection; attack, bout, fit, spell; debility, decrepitude, feebleness, frailness, lameness, sickliness, unhealthiness, unsoundness, unwellness, weakness; malaise, matter, pip; epidemic, pest, pestilence, plague

Near Antonyms

fitness, healthiness, heartiness, robustness, soundness, wholeness, wholesomeness; fettle, shape

Other Medicine Terms

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

ail

transitive verb \ˈā(ə)l\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of AIL

: to affect with an unnamed disease or physical or emotional pain or discomfort—used only of unspecified causes <what ails the patient>

intransitive verb

: to become affected with pain or discomfort <was ailing from a cold>