ill

ill¹ W3S3 [ıl] adj

[Date: 1100-1200; : Old Norse; Origin: illr]

1.) especially BrE suffering from a disease or not feeling well

American Equivalent: sick

▪ Bridget can't come - she's ill.

▪ I was feeling ill that day and decided to stay at home.

▪ She was suddenly taken ill at school.

▪ All these diets are making you ill .

ill with

▪ Her husband has been ill with bladder trouble.

▪ A number of these patients are seriously ill .

▪ caring for mentally ill people

▪ a hospice for the terminally ill

see usage note ↑sick¹

2.) [only before noun]

bad or harmful

▪ Many people consumed the poisoned oil without ill effects .

▪ the neglect and ill treatment of children

▪ He was unable to join the army because of ill health .

3.) ill at ease

nervous, uncomfortable, or embarrassed

▪ He always felt shy and ill at ease at parties.

4.) it's an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)

spoken used to say that every problem brings an advantage for someone

→↑ill feeling, ↑ill will

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COLLOCATES for sense 1

feel ill

become/fall/get ill also be taken ill

make somebody ill

seriously/critically/gravely ill (=very ill)

chronically ill (=always ill)

mentally ill

terminally ill (=with an illness you will die from)

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ill ²

ill² adv

1.) sb can ill afford (to do) sth

to be unable to do or have something without making the situation you are in very difficult

▪ I was losing weight which I could ill afford to lose.

▪ Most gamblers can ill afford their habit.

2.) think/speak ill of sb

formal to think or say unpleasant things about someone

▪ She really believes you should never speak ill of the dead.

3.) bode ill

formal to give you a reason to think that something bad will happen

▪ The look on his face boded ill for somebody.

ill ³

ill³ n

1.) ills [plural]

problems and difficulties

▪ He wants to cure all the ills of the world.

2.) [U] formal

harm, evil, or bad luck

▪ She did not like Matthew but she would never wish him ill.