/il/ , adj., worse, worst , n. , adv.
adj.
1. of unsound physical or mental health; unwell; sick: She felt ill, so her teacher sent her to the nurse.
2. objectionable; unsatisfactory; poor; faulty: ill manners.
3. hostile; unkindly: ill feeling.
4. evil; wicked; bad: of ill repute.
5. unfavorable; adverse: ill fortune.
6. of inferior worth or ability; unskillful; inexpert: an ill example of scholarship.
7. ill at ease , socially uncomfortable; nervous: They were ill at ease because they didn't speak the language.
n.
8. an unfavorable opinion or statement: I can speak no ill of her.
9. harm or injury: His remarks did much ill.
10. trouble, distress, or misfortune: Many ills befell him.
11. evil: to know the difference between good and ill.
12. sickness or disease.
adv.
13. in an ill manner.
14. unsatisfactorily; poorly: It ill befits a man to betray old friends.
15. in a hostile or unfriendly manner.
16. unfavorably; unfortunately.
17. with displeasure or offense.
18. faultily; improperly.
19. with difficulty or inconvenience; scarcely: Buying a new car is an expense we can ill afford.
[ 1150-1200; ME ill ( e ) (n. and adj.) illr (adj.) ill, bad ]
Syn. 1. unhealthy, ailing, diseased, afflicted. ILL, SICK mean being in bad health, not being well. ILL is the more formal word. In the U.S. the two words are used practically interchangeably except that SICK is always used when the word modifies the following noun: He looks sick ( ill ); a sick person. In England, SICK is not interchangeable with ILL, but usually has the connotation of nauseous: She got sick and threw up. SICK, however, is used before nouns just as in the U.S.: a sick man. 4. wrong, iniquitous. See bad 1 . 9. hurt, pain, affliction, misery. 10. calamity. 11. depravity. 12. illness, affliction. 14. badly.
Ant. 1. well, healthy. 4. good.