ill

I. adjective (worse; worst) Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse illr Date: 12th century 1. a. chiefly Scottish immoral, vicious b. resulting from, accompanied by, or indicative of an evil or malevolent intention <

ill deeds

> c. attributing evil or an objectionable quality <

held an ill opinion of his neighbors

> 2. a. causing suffering or distress <

ill weather

> b. (comparative also iller) (1) not normal or sound <

ill health

> (2) not in good health; also nauseated 3. a. not suited to circumstances or not to one's advantage ; unlucky <

an ill omen

> b. involving difficulty ; hard 4. a. not meeting an accepted standard <

ill manners

> b. archaic notably unskillful or inefficient 5. unfriendly, hostile <

ill feeling

> II. adverb (worse; worst) Date: 13th century 1. a. with displeasure or hostility b. in a harsh manner c. so as to reflect unfavorably <

spoke ill of the neighbors

> 2. in a reprehensible manner 3. hardly, scarcely <

can ill afford such extravagances

> 4. a. in an unfortunate manner ; badly, unluckily <

ill fares the land…where wealth accumulates, and men decay — Oliver Goldsmith

> b. in a faulty, inefficient, insufficient, or unpleasant manner — often used in combination <

the methods used may be ill-adapted to the aims in view — R. M. Hutchins

> III. noun Date: 13th century 1. the reverse of good ; evil 2. a. misfortune, distress b. (1) ailment, sickness (2) something that disturbs or afflicts ; trouble <

economic and social ills

> 3. something that reflects unfavorably <

spoke no ill of him

> IV. abbreviation illustrated; illustration; illustrator