Ill /(ĭl)/

Ill

a.
  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.
    There 's some ill planet reigns.
  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.
  3. Sick; indisposed; unwell; diseased; disordered; as, ill of a fever.
    I am in health, I breathe, and see thee ill.
  4. Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude; unpolished; inelegant.
    That 's an ill phrase.

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.

Ill

n.
  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.
  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.

Ill

adv.
  1. In a ill manner; badly; weakly.
    How ill this taper burns!
    Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.