1. adj., n., & v.
--adj.
1. (often in comb.) esp. Brit. vomiting or tending to vomit (feels sick; has been sick; seasick).
2 esp. US ill; affected by illness (has been sick for a week; a sick man; sick with measles).
3 a (often foll. by at) esp. mentally perturbed; disordered (the product of a sick mind; sick at heart). b (often foll. by for, or in comb.) pining; longing (sick for a sight of home; lovesick).
4 (often foll. by of) colloq. a disgusted; surfeited (sick of chocolates). b angry, esp. because of surfeit (am sick of being teased).
5 colloq. (of humour etc.) jeering at misfortune, illness, death, etc.; morbid (sick joke).
6 (of a ship) needing repair (esp. of a specified kind) (paint-sick).
--n. Brit. colloq. vomit.
--v.tr. (usu. foll. by up) Brit. colloq. vomit (sicked up his dinner).
Phrases and idioms:
go sick report oneself as ill. look sick colloq. be unimpressive or embarrassed. sick at (or to) one's stomach US vomiting or tending to vomit. sick-benefit Brit. an allowance made by the State to a person absent from work through sickness. sick building syndrome a high incidence of illness in office workers, attributed to the immediate working surroundings. sick-call
1. a visit by a doctor to a sick person etc.
2 Mil. a summons for sick men to attend. sick-flag a yellow flag indicating disease at a quarantine station or on ship. sick headache a migraine headache with vomiting. sick-leave leave of absence granted because of illness. sick-list a list of the sick, esp. in a regiment, ship, etc. sick-making colloq. sickening. sick nurse NURSE. sick-pay pay given to an employee etc. on sick-leave. take sick colloq. be taken ill.
Derivatives:
sickish adj.
Etymology: OE seoc f. Gmc 2. v.tr. (usu. in imper.) (esp. to a dog) set upon (a rat etc.).
Etymology: 19th c., dial. var. of SEEK