chill
chill Lexical Profile
chill Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Calm, relaxed, and easygoing in attitude or atmosphere (informal).
"The new manager is surprisingly chill about flexible working hours."
Uncomfortably cool or moderately cold to the touch or senses.
"A chill autumn wind swept across the empty courtyard."
• noun
An unpleasant feeling of coldness in the atmosphere, water, or one's body.
"There was a sharp chill in the air as the sun dipped below the horizon."
A sensation of coldness accompanied by shivering, often occurring as a symptom of fever or illness.
"The patient complained of a high fever and recurring chills throughout the night."
A sudden, penetrating feeling of fear, dread, or apprehension, or a depressing influence on enthusiasm.
"The eerie silence of the abandoned house sent a sudden chill down her spine."
• verb
To make or become cold or cool, without freezing.
"Chill the dessert in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving."
To calm down, relax, or spend time idly doing nothing stressful (informal).
"After a exhausting week of exams, we plan to just chill at home this weekend."
To frighten, horrify, or depress someone, or to deter enthusiasm or free expression.
"The witness's graphic testimony chilled everyone in the courtroom."
Word Nuance & Usage
In formal and standard contexts, 'chill' refers to moderate coldness or a sudden sensation of fear. In modern informal and slang registers, it is widely used as a verb meaning to relax or hang out, and as an adjective describing an easygoing, laid-back person or atmosphere.
• Rhymes for chill
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cele' or 'cyle', meaning coldness or frost, derived from the Proto-Germanic root '*kaliz', which is also the source of the word 'cool'.