CHILL


Meaning of CHILL in English

I. ˈchil verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Middle English chillen, chilen, from chile, chele cold (n.), frost, from Old English cele, ciele; akin to Old English ceald, cald cold (adjective) — more at cold

intransitive verb

1.

a. : to grow or become cold or chill often rapidly

as the hot mixture chills, it begins to thicken

b. : to shiver or quake with cold or as if with cold

wake up in the morning alternately sweating and chilling in an emotional seizure — R.E.McGill

2. : to become taken with a chill (sense 1a) : have a chill

3. of a metal : to become surface-hardened by sudden cooling while solidifying

transitive verb

1.

a. : to make cold or chilly

the cold wind from the north chilled the day

the water chilled the swimmer to the marrow

b. : to treat (as a food or beverage) by cooling

chill the wine before serving

c. : to refrigerate (as food) without freezing

2. : to affect as if with cold : check

was forced to chill his enthusiasm

: dampen , depress , discourage , dispirit

rain chilled the glittering pageant — Bill Sumner

3. : to cool (metal) suddenly at the surface so as to effect a change in solidification that often increases the hardness

4. : to produce a dull or clouded appearance upon (a varnished surface) by cold : bloom III vt 2

5. dialect England : to take the chill off (a liquid)

II. adjective

( usually -er/-est )

1.

a. : moderately but unpleasantly cold

a chill night

b. : cold , raw

a chill wind

2. : affected by a penetrating cold : benumbed or shivering with cold : chilled

chill travelers

3. : cool in manner or feeling : lacking warmth : distant , formal , unfriendly

a chill reception

4. : discouraging , depressing , dispiriting

chill penury — Thomas Gray

III. noun

( -s )

Etymology: chill (I)

1.

a. : a sensation of cold attended with shivering or convulsive shaking of the body due to a disturbance of the temperature-regulating mechanism of the body resulting from exposure to cold, from infection accompanied by fever, or from a reaction to adverse nervous stimuli

nervous chill

b. : a disagreeable sensation of coldness

feel a chill in both hands and feet

she felt the chill of fear — E.T.Thurston

c. chiefly Britain : a usually respiratory illness resulting especially from exposure to cold or damp

he caught a chill from sitting in a draft

take a chill

2.

a. : a degree of cold that would induce shivering in a lightly dressed person

an autumn chill in the air

b. : a cold atmospheric condition

the chill of the night

3. : a check to enthusiasm or warmth of feeling : an atmosphere of discouragement : a depressing influence or effect upon the feelings or spirit

a chill spread over the group at the sad news

a chill in his attitude toward opponents

4.

a. : a metal mold or portion of a mold serving to cool rapidly and often to harden the surface of molten metal brought in contact with it

b. : the hardened part of a casting (as the tread of a car wheel)

5. : a jointed steel bar that actuates the platen in some hand printing presses

IV. _chə̇l

Etymology: contraction of Middle English ich wille I will

now dialect : I will

V. intransitive verb

1. : to chill out — often used in the imperative

2. : to hang around

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.