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- DictionaryIll/il/
adjective
- 1. not in full health; sick: "her daughter is seriously ill" Similar unwellsicknot (very) wellailingpoorlysicklypeakyafflictedindisposedinfirmliverishout of sortsnot oneselfnot in good shapenot up to parunder/below parbadin a bad waybedriddeninvalidedon the sick listvaletudinarianqueasynauseousnauseatedweakfeeblefraildiseasedinfectedoff colourinformal:under the weathernot up to snufflaid upfunnypeculiariffycrummylousyroughgroggygreen around the gillsat death's doorlike death warmed upropygrottydickywabbitcrookvulgar slang:crappydated:queerseedyOpposite wellhealthy
- 2. poor in quality: "ill judgment dogs the unsuccessful" Similar badpoorunsatisfactoryincompetentunacceptableinadequatedeficientdefectivefaultyunskillfulinexpertamateurishOpposite goodcompetent
- ▪ harmful: "she had a cup of the same wine and suffered no ill effects" Similar harmfuldamagingdetrimentaldeleteriousadverseinjurioushurtfuldestructiveperniciousinimicaldangerousruinouscalamitousdisastrousmalignmalignantunhealthyunwholesomepoisonousnoxiouscancerousliterary:maleficmaleficentnocuousbanefulOpposite goodbeneficial
- ▪ hostile: "it did give rise to a lot of ill feelings"
- ▪ (especially of fortune) not favorable: "no one less deserved such ill fortune than McStay" Similar unluckyadverseunfavorableunfortunateunpropitiousinauspiciousunpromisinginfelicitousbadgloomythreateningmenacingominoussinisterdisturbingdireevilbalefulforbiddingportentousarchaic:direfulrare:minatoryminaciousOpposite auspicious
adverb
- 1. badly, wrongly, or imperfectly: "it ill becomes one so beautiful to be gloomy" Similar poorlybadlyimperfectlywronglyunsuccessfullybadlyadverselyunsuccessfullyunfavorablyunfortunatelyunluckilyhardinauspiciouslyinadequatelyunsatisfactorilyinsufficientlyimperfectlydeficientlydefectivelypoorlybadlynegligentlyOpposite wellwellaccording to planwellsatisfactorily
- ▪ unfavorably or unpropitiously: "something which boded ill for unwary golfers" Similar unfavorablyadverselybadlyunhappilyinauspiciouslyOpposite wellauspiciously
- 2. only with difficulty; hardly: "she could ill afford the cost of new curtains" Similar barelyscarcelyhardlyjustonly justjust possiblynarrowlywith difficultyonly with effortinformal:at a pushOpposite easily
noun
- 1. a problem or misfortune: "a lengthy work on the ills of society" Similar problemstroublesdifficultiesmisfortunesstrainstrialstribulationstrials and tribulationsworriesanxietiesconcernspainsufferinghardshipmiserywoeafflictiondistressdisquietmalaiseinformal:headachesprobshasslesarchaic:travailsillnessesill/poor healthailmentsdisorderscomplaintsafflictionssicknessesdiseasesmaladiesinfirmitiesindispositionsinfectionscontagions
- ▪ evil or harm: "how could I wish him ill?" Similar harmhurtinjurydamagemischiefpaintroubleunpleasantnessmisfortunegrievancesufferingdistressanguishtraumagrief
Word Origin Middle English (in the senses ‘wicked’, ‘malevolent’, ‘harmful’, and ‘difficult’): from Old Norse illr ‘evil, difficult’, of unknown origin.
Scrabble Points: 3
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