Chill

/tʃɪl/ · noun

Meaning

A moderate, but uncomfortable and penetrating coldness..

Definitions by Sense

1. A moderate, but uncomfortable and penetrating coldness.
2. A sudden penetrating sense of cold, especially one that causes a brief trembling nerve response through the body; the trembling response itself; often associated with illness: fevers and chills, or susceptibility to illness.
3. An uncomfortable and numbing sense of fear, dread, anxiety, or alarm, often one that is sudden and usually accompanied by a trembling nerve response resembling the body's response to biting cold.
4. An iron mould or portion of a mould, serving to cool rapidly, and so to harden, the surface of molten iron brought in contact with it.
5. The hardened part of a casting, such as the tread of a carriage wheel.
6. A lack of warmth and cordiality; unfriendliness.
7. Calmness; equanimity.
8. A sense of style; trendiness; savoir faire.

Example Sentences

There was a chill in the air.

Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal.

A breezy winter chill is likely for MLK Weekend across the Southeast. […] A steady northwest breeze will keep wind chills in the teens and single digits for the remainder of your weekend.

Close the window or you'll catch a chill.

I felt a chill when the wind picked up.

Despite the heat, he felt a chill as he entered the crime scene.

The actor's eerie portrayal sent chills through the audience.

His menacing presence cast a chill over everyone.

Synonyms for chill

Antonyms for chill

Related Words

Word Forms

• chills
• more chill
• most chill
• chilling
• chilled
• ch'ill
• 'chill

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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