ill
objectionable; unsatisfactory; poor; faulty: ill manners.
an unfavorable opinion or statement: I can speak no ill of her.
harm or injury: His remarks did much ill.
trouble, distress, or misfortune: Many ills befell him.
evil: to know the difference between good and ill.
sickness or disease.
in an ill manner.
unsatisfactorily; poorly: It ill befits a man to betray old friends.
in a hostile or unfriendly manner.
unfavorably; unfortunately.
with displeasure or offense.
faultily; improperly.
with difficulty or inconvenience; scarcely: Buying a new car is an expense we can ill afford.
Idioms about ill
ill at ease, socially uncomfortable; nervous: They were ill at ease because they didn't speak the language.
Origin of ill
1synonym study For ill
Grammar notes for ill
Other words for ill
1 | unhealthy, ailing, diseased, afflicted |
4 | wrong, iniquitous |
9 | hurt, pain, affliction, misery |
10 | calamity |
11 | depravity |
12 | illness, affliction |
Opposites for ill
Words that may be confused with ill
- ill , sick (see synonym study at the current entry)
Words Nearby ill
Other definitions for I'll (2 of 4)
contraction of I will.
usage note For I'll
Words that may be confused with I'll
Other definitions for ill. (3 of 4)
illustrated.
illustration.
illustrator.
most illustrious.
Origin of ill.
3Other definitions for Ill. (4 of 4)
Illinois.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ill in a sentence
A study in the Netherlands found that most patients who have been ill for 10 days are already making their own antibodies against the virus.
COVID-19 plasma treatments may be safe, but we don’t know if they work | Tina Hesman Saey | August 25, 2020 | Science NewsNone have been proven yet, and much of the federal and private funding for clinical trials has gone for treating the severely ill.
New treatments aim to treat COVID-19 early, before it gets serious | Tina Hesman Saey | August 24, 2020 | Science NewsIn places where most people wore masks, those who did get infected seemed dramatically less likely to get severely ill compared to places with less mask-wearing.
Cloth Masks Do Protect The Wearer – Breathing In Less Coronavirus Means You Get Less Sick | LGBTQ-Editor | August 20, 2020 | No Straight NewsThe following day he felt ill and tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tracing Homophobia In South Korea’s Coronavirus Surveillance Program | LGBTQ-Editor | June 18, 2020 | No Straight NewsVolunteers who were either ill, recovered or healthy all coughed at about the same velocity.
Six foot social-distancing will not always be enough for COVID-19 | Tina Hesman Saey | April 23, 2020 | Science News For Students
They had rarely seen their own fathers carry small children unless their mothers were ill.
How Good Dads Can Change the World | Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTI am fortunate that I have never been deathly ill, but whenever I have the stomach flu, I most certainly feel like I am dying.
David Prowse, the actor who portrayed Darth Vader, wished to come back but had to turn down the role because of ill health.
Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones) | Rich Goldstein | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut Seligman never imagined how Mitchell might put the concept to work, in part because it was so ill-suited to that purpose.
The Luxury Homes That Torture and Your Tax Dollars Built | Michael Daly | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThere is a procedure called “compassionate release” allowing terminally ill men to die at home.
These differences of interests will lead to disputes, ill blood, and finally to separation.
And for fear of being ill spoken of weep bitterly for a day, and then comfort thyself in thy sadness.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousG was a gamester, who had but ill-luck; H was a Hunter, who hunted a buck.
"It is ill-fated;" and Alessandro blamed himself for having forgotten her only association with the name.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonThe Marshals were inclined to attribute their disgrace to the ill-will of Berthier and not to the temper of Napoleon.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison
British Dictionary definitions for ill (1 of 3)
/ (ɪl) /
(usually postpositive) not in good health; sick
characterized by or intending evil, harm, etc; hostile: ill deeds
causing or resulting in pain, harm, adversity, etc: ill effects
ascribing or imputing evil to something referred to: ill repute
promising an unfavourable outcome; unpropitious: an ill omen
harsh; lacking kindness: ill will
not up to an acceptable standard; faulty: ill manners
ill at ease unable to relax; uncomfortable
evil or harm: to wish a person ill
a mild disease
misfortune; trouble
badly: the title ill befits him
with difficulty; hardly: he can ill afford the money
not rightly: she ill deserves such good fortune
Origin of ill
1British Dictionary definitions for I'll (2 of 3)
/ (aɪl) /
I will or I shall
British Dictionary definitions for Ill. (3 of 3)
Illinois
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ill
In addition to the idioms beginning with ill
- ill at ease
- ill wind that blows no one any good, it's an
, also see under
- get sick
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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