I. ˈpil verb
Etymology: Middle English pilen, pillen, partly from Old English pilian to peel, partly from Anglo-French piler to rob
Date: 12th century
intransitive verb
dialect chiefly England : to come off in flakes or scales : peel
transitive verb
1. archaic : to subject to depredation or extortion
2. dialect : to peel or strip off
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English pylle, from Anglo-French pile & Middle Dutch pille, both ultimately from Latin pilula, from diminutive of pila ball
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a usually medicinal or dietary preparation in a small rounded mass to be swallowed whole
b. often capitalized : birth control pill — usually used with the
2. : something repugnant or unpleasant that must be accepted or endured
3. : something resembling a pill in size or shape
4. : a disagreeable or tiresome person
III. verb
Date: 1736
transitive verb
1. : to dose with pills
2. : blackball
intransitive verb
: to become rough with or mat into little balls
brushed woolens often pill