— chillingly , adv. — chillness , n.
/chil/ , n.
1. coldness, esp. a moderate but uncomfortably penetrating coldness: the chill of evening.
2. a sensation of cold, usually with shivering: She felt a slight chill from the open window.
3. a feeling of sudden fear, anxiety, or alarm.
4. sudden coldness of the body, as during the cold stage of an ague: fevers and chills.
5. a depressing influence or sensation: His presence cast a chill over everyone.
6. lack of warmth of feeling; unfriendliness; coolness.
7. Foundry. an inserted object or a surface in a mold capable of absorbing large amounts of heat, used to harden the surface of a casting or to increase its rate of solidification at a specific point.
8. bloom 1 (def. 10).
adj.
9. moderately cold; tending to cause shivering; chilly: a chill wind.
10. shivering with or affected by cold; chilly.
11. depressing or discouraging: chill prospects.
12. Slang. cool (def. 14).
13. unduly formal; unfriendly; chilly: a chill reception.
v.i.
14. to become cold: The earth chills when the sun sets.
15. to be seized with a chill; shiver with cold or fear.
16. Foundry. (of a casting) to become hard on the surface by contact with a chill or chills.
v.t.
17. to affect with cold; make chilly: The rain has chilled me to the bone.
18. to make cool: Chill the wine before serving.
19. to depress; discourage; deter: The news chilled his hopes.
20. Foundry. to harden the surface of (a casting) by casting it in a mold having a chill or chills.
21. bloom 1 (def. 19).
22. Slang. to kill; murder.
23. chill out , Slang. to calm down; relax.
[ bef. 900; ME chile, OE ci ( e ) le, cele coolness; akin to GELID, COOL, COLD ]
Syn. 9. See cold. 13. cold, aloof, hostile, stiff.