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Entry 7 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Ill

/(ĭl)/ · IPA /ɪl/
01 a. Contrary to good, in a physical sense; contrary or opposed to advantage, happiness, etc.; bad; evil; unfortunate; disagreeable; unfavorable.
  1. 1.
    Contrary to good, in a physical sense; contrary or opposed to advantage, happiness, etc.; bad; evil; unfortunate; disagreeable; unfavorable.
    “Neither is it ill air only that maketh an ill seat, but ill ways, ill markets, and ill neighbors.” — Bacon.
    “There 's some ill planet reigns.” — Shak.
  2. 2.
    Contrary to good, in a moral sense; evil; wicked; wrong; iniquitious; naughtly; bad; improper.
    “Of his own body he was ill, and gave The clergy ill example.” — Shak.
  3. 3.
    Sick; indisposed; unwell; diseased; disordered; as, ill of a fever.
    “I am in health, I breathe, and see thee ill.” — Shak.
  4. 4.
    Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude; unpolished; inelegant.
    “That 's an ill phrase.” — Shak.
Phrases & compounds
Ill at ease — uneasy; uncomfortable; anxious.
Ill blood — enmity; resentment; bad blood.
Ill breeding — lack of good breeding; rudeness.
Ill fame — ill or bad repute; as, a house of ill fame, a house where lewd persons meet for illicit intercourse.
Ill humor — a disagreeable mood; bad temper.
Ill nature — bad disposition or temperament; sullenness; esp., a disposition to cause unhappiness to others.
Ill temper — anger; moroseness; crossness.
Ill turn — An unkind act.
Ill will — unkindness; enmity; malevolence.
Syn. Bad; evil; wrong; wicked; sick; unwell.
02 n. Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity.
  1. 1.
    Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity.
    “Who can all sense of others' ills escape Is but a brute at best in human shape.” — Tate.
    “That makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of.” — Shak.
  2. 2.
    Whatever is contrary to good, in a moral sense; wickedness; depravity; iniquity; wrong; evil.
    “Strong virtue, like strong nature, struggles still, Exerts itself, and then throws off the ill.” — Dryden.
03 adv. In a ill manner; badly; weakly.
  1. 1.
    In a ill manner; badly; weakly.
    “How ill this taper burns!” — Shak.
    “Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.” — Goldsmith.