ill

¹ill

adjective \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

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

²ill

adverb

worseworst

Definition of ILL

1

a : with displeasure or hostility

b : in a harsh manner

c : so as to reflect unfavorably <spoke ill of the neighbors>

2

: in a reprehensible manner

3

: hardly, scarcely <can ill afford such extravagances>

4

a : in an unfortunate manner : badly, unluckily <ill fares the land … where wealth accumulates, and men decay — Oliver Goldsmith>

b : in a faulty, inefficient, insufficient, or unpleasant manner —often used in combination <the methods used may be ill-adapted to the aims in view — R. M. Hutchins>

Examples of ILL

1. He is being ill served by his advisers.
2. Please don't think ill of me.
3. He was a good man who never spoke ill of anyone.

First Known Use of ILL

13th century

Related to ILL

Synonyms

brutally, hard, harshly, hardly, oppressively, roughly, severely, sternly, stiffly

Antonyms

clemently, gently, leniently, lightly, mildly, softly

Related Words

callously, cold-bloodedly, hard-heartedly, heartlessly, inhumanely, inhumanly, insensately, insensitively, mercilessly, obdurately, pitilessly, ruthlessly, tyrannically, uncharitably, unfeelingly, unmercifully, unsparingly; abusively, brutishly, savagely, viciously; aggressively, assertively, decidedly, determinedly, firmly, grimly, gruffly, resolutely, strongly, toughly

Near Antonyms

benevolently, benignantly, considerately, cordially, graciously, kindly, lovingly, tenderly; charitably, compassionately, humanely, mercifully, softheartedly, sympathetically, tolerantly, understandingly

³ill

noun

Definition of ILL

1

: the reverse of good : evil

2

a : misfortune, distress

b (1) : ailment, sickness (2) : something that disturbs or afflicts : trouble <economic and social ills>

3

: something that reflects unfavorably <spoke no ill of him>

Examples of ILL

1. <chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood>
2. <idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills>

First Known Use of ILL

13th century

Related to ILL

Synonyms

affection, ail, ailment, bug, complaint, complication, condition, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, disease, 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

⁴ill

abbreviation

Definition of ILL

illustrated; illustration; illustrator

Ill

abbreviation

Definition of ILL

Illinois

Ill

geographical name \ˈēl\

Definition of ILL

river 129 miles (208 kilometers) NE France flowing into the Rhine