ill
♦♦ ill /'ɪl/ (ills)
1 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
Someone who is ill is suffering from a disease or a health problem.
In November 1941 Payne was seriously ill with pneumonia...
[N-PLURAL] the adv N
People who are ill in some way can be referred to as, for example, the mentally ill.
I used to work with the mentally ill...
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl, usu with supp
Difficulties and problems are sometimes referred to as ills. (FORMAL)
His critics maintain that he's responsible for many of Algeria's ills.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
Ill is evil or harm. (LITERARY)
They say they mean you no ill.
4 [ADV] ADV with v
Ill means the same as `badly'. (FORMAL)
The company's conservative instincts sit ill with competition.
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
You can use ill in front of some nouns to indicate that you are referring to something harmful or unpleasant. (FORMAL)
She had brought ill luck into her family...
= bad
6 [PHRASE] PHR to-inf, PHR n
If you say that someone can ill afford to do something, or can ill afford something, you mean that they must prevent it from happening because it would be harmful or embarrassing to them. (FORMAL)
It's possible he won't play but I can ill afford to lose him...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you fall ill or are taken ill, you suddenly become ill.
Shortly before Christmas, he was mysteriously taken ill...
8
to speak ill of someone: see speakill at ease
also ill-at-ease
see easeill ef|fects
also ill-effects
[N-PLURAL]
If something has ill effects, it causes problems or damage.
Some people are still suffering ill effects from the contamination of their water.ill health
[N-UNCOUNT]
Someone who suffers from ill health has an illness or keeps being ill.
He was forced to retire because of ill health...ill will
also ill-will
[N-UNCOUNT]
Ill will is unfriendly or hostile feelings that you have towards someone.
He didn't bear anyone any ill will...
= animosityill wind
[N-SING] usu a N
You can describe an unfortunate event as an ill wind if someone benefits from it. The expression occurs in the proverb `It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good'.
But it's an ill wind; I recovered and married one of my nurses from that hospital.
1 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
Someone who is ill is suffering from a disease or a health problem.
In November 1941 Payne was seriously ill with pneumonia...
[N-PLURAL] the adv N
People who are ill in some way can be referred to as, for example, the mentally ill.
I used to work with the mentally ill...
2 [N-COUNT] usu pl, usu with supp
Difficulties and problems are sometimes referred to as ills. (FORMAL)
His critics maintain that he's responsible for many of Algeria's ills.
3 [N-UNCOUNT]
Ill is evil or harm. (LITERARY)
They say they mean you no ill.
4 [ADV] ADV with v
Ill means the same as `badly'. (FORMAL)
The company's conservative instincts sit ill with competition.
5 [ADJ] ADJ n
You can use ill in front of some nouns to indicate that you are referring to something harmful or unpleasant. (FORMAL)
She had brought ill luck into her family...
= bad
6 [PHRASE] PHR to-inf, PHR n
If you say that someone can ill afford to do something, or can ill afford something, you mean that they must prevent it from happening because it would be harmful or embarrassing to them. (FORMAL)
It's possible he won't play but I can ill afford to lose him...
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you fall ill or are taken ill, you suddenly become ill.
Shortly before Christmas, he was mysteriously taken ill...
8
to speak ill of someone: see speakill at ease
also ill-at-ease
see easeill ef|fects
also ill-effects
[N-PLURAL]
If something has ill effects, it causes problems or damage.
Some people are still suffering ill effects from the contamination of their water.ill health
[N-UNCOUNT]
Someone who suffers from ill health has an illness or keeps being ill.
He was forced to retire because of ill health...ill will
also ill-will
[N-UNCOUNT]
Ill will is unfriendly or hostile feelings that you have towards someone.
He didn't bear anyone any ill will...
= animosityill wind
[N-SING] usu a N
You can describe an unfortunate event as an ill wind if someone benefits from it. The expression occurs in the proverb `It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good'.
But it's an ill wind; I recovered and married one of my nurses from that hospital.