PILL

I. verb Etymology: Middle English pilen, ~en, partly from Old English pilian to peel, partly from Anglo-French piler to rob Date: 12th century intransitive verb to come off in flakes or scales ; peel , transitive verb to subject to depredation or extortion, to peel or strip off, II. noun Etymology: Middle English pylle, from Anglo-French pile & Middle Dutch ~e, both ultimately from Latin pilula, from diminutive of pila ball Date: 14th century 1. a usually medicinal or dietary preparation in a small rounded mass to be swallowed whole, birth control ~ , something repugnant or unpleasant that must be accepted or endured, something resembling a ~ in size or shape, a disagreeable or tiresome person, III. verb Date: 1736 transitive verb to dose with ~s, blackball , intransitive verb to become rough with or mat into little balls