ill

[ il ]
/ ɪl /

adjective, worse, worst; ill·er, ill·est for 7.

noun

adverb

Idioms for ill

    ill at ease, socially uncomfortable; nervous: They were ill at ease because they didn't speak the language.

Origin of ill

1150–1200; Middle English ill(e) (noun and adj.) < Old Norse illr (adj.) ill, bad

synonym study for ill

1. Ill, sick mean being in bad health, not being well. Ill is the more formal word. In the U.S. the two words are used practically interchangeably except that sick is always used when the word modifies the following noun: He looks sick ( ill ); a sick person. In England, sick is not interchangeable with ill, but usually has the connotation of nauseous: She got sick and threw up. sick, however, is used before nouns just as in the U.S.: a sick man. 4. See bad1.

grammar notes for ill

See well1.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ill

ill sick1 (see synonym study at the current entry)

British Dictionary definitions for ill at ease

ill
/ (ɪl) /

adjective worse or worst

noun

adverb

Word Origin for ill

C11 (in the sense: evil): from Old Norse illr bad

Medical definitions for ill at ease

ill
[ ĭl ]

adj.

Not healthy; sick.
Not normal, as a condition; unsound.

n.

A disease or illness, especially of animals.

Idioms and Phrases with ill at ease (1 of 2)

ill at ease

Uncomfortable, uneasy, as in Large parties made him feel ill at ease. [c. 1300] For an antonym, see at ease.

Idioms and Phrases with ill at ease (2 of 2)

ill