ill

[[t]ɪ̱l[/t]]

♦♦

ills

1) ADJ-GRADED: 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...

I was feeling ill...

If damp, musty buildings make you ill, mould is probably the cause...

Two years ago my husband was declared to be terminally ill.

Syn:

sick

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... She became a nun and cared for the terminally ill for the rest of her life.

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.

...various potions that would cure all ills.

Syn:

trouble

3) N-UNCOUNT Ill is evil or harm. [LITERARY]

They say they mean you no ill.

4) ADV-GRADED: 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...

He says that he bears no ill feelings towards Johnson.

Syn:

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...

We can ill afford another scandal...

It's an ignorance we can ill afford.

7) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR for n If something bodes ill or augurs ill, it gives you a reason to fear that something harmful might happen soon. [FORMAL]

It's an ominous development that may bode ill for the Russian parliament.

8) PHRASE: V inflects If you fall ill or are taken ill, you suddenly become ill.

Shortly before Christmas, he was mysteriously taken ill...

She fell ill with measles.

9) PHRASE: oft PHR with cl If you say that something is happening or will happen for good or ill, you mean that it is out of anyone's control whether it happens and what its effects will be. [FORMAL]

Recent events should make everyone modest about saying what cannot happen there, for good or ill.

10) to speak ill of someone → see speak