First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1chill
noun \ˈchil\
: a cold feeling : a degree of cold that can be felt and that is usually unpleasant
: a feeling of being cold
: an illness that makes you feel cold
Full Definition of CHILL
1
a : a sensation of cold accompanied by shivering b : a disagreeable sensation of coldness
2
: a moderate but disagreeable degree of cold
3
: a check to enthusiasm or warmth of feeling
See chill defined for English-language learners
See chill defined for kids
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Origin of CHILL
Middle English chile chill, frost, from Old English ciele; akin to Old English ceald cold
Related to CHILL
- Synonyms
- bite, bitterness, bleakness, chilliness, nip, nippiness, rawness, sharpness
2chill
adjective
: unpleasantly cold
Full Definition of CHILL
2
: affected by cold <chill travelers>
See chill defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CHILL
14th century
Related to CHILL
- Synonyms
- antiseptic, arctic, brittle, cold, chilly, clammy, cold-blooded, cold-eyed, coldish, cool, frigid, frosty, frozen, gelid, glacial, hard-eyed, icy, unfriendly, unsympathetic, wintry (also wintery)
- Antonyms
- cordial, friendly, genial, happy, hearty, sympathetic, warm, warm-blooded, warmhearted
3chill
verb
: to make (someone or something) cold or cool
: to become cold or cool
: to cause (someone) to feel afraid
Full Definition of CHILL
intransitive verb
1
a : to become cold b : to shiver or quake with or as if with cold
2
: to become taken with a chill
transitive verb
1
a : to make cold or chilly <chilled by a cold wind> b : to make cool especially without freezing <chill the wine>
See chill defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CHILL
14th century
Related to CHILL
- Synonyms
- cool, refrigerate
CHILLNESS Defined for Kids
1chill
noun \ˈchil\
Definition of CHILL for Kids
1
: coldness that is unpleasant but not extreme <There was a chill in the autumn air.>
2
: a feeling of coldness accompanied by shivering <She has a fever and chills.>
3
: a feeling of coldness caused by fear <The grisly sight gave me the chills.>
2chill
adjective
Definition of CHILL for Kids
1
: unpleasantly cold : raw <Everything was damp and chill and miserable in the wagon … — Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie>
2
: not friendly <a chill greeting>
3chill
verb
chilledchill·ing
Definition of CHILL for Kids
1
: to make or become cold or chilly <The wind chilled us to the bone.>
2
: to make cool especially without freezing <Chill the pudding for dessert.>
3
: to cause to feel cold from fear <This ghost story will chill you.>
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