I. ˈāl, ˈāəl verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English eilen, from Old English eglan to trouble, afflict; akin to Old English egle hideous, loathsome, Middle Low German egelen to annoy, Gothic us agljan to oppress and perhaps to Middle Irish ālad wound, Sanskrit agha evil and perhaps to Old English ege fear, Old High German egī, Old Norse agi, Gothic agis fear, Greek achos pain, Old Irish ad- āgor I fear; basic meaning: fearing
transitive verb
: to affect with an unnamed disease or physical or emotional pain or discomfort : trouble or interfere with : be the matter with — used only of unspecified causes
can the doctor tell what ails the patient
he will not concede that anything ails his business
what ails that naughty boy
intransitive verb
: to become affected with pain or discomfort : have something the matter
he ailed throughout his childhood
the business is ailing
was ailing from a cold
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eil, from eilen, v.
: indisposition , ailment
wild herbs that were … counted upon to ease their winter ails — Sarah O. Jewett
III. ˈī(ə)l noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eile, from Old English egl; akin to Old English ecg edge, sword — more at edge
now dialect England : the beard of grain — usually used in plural