chill
Americannoun
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coldness, especially a moderate but uncomfortably penetrating coldness.
the chill of evening.
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a sensation of cold, usually with shivering.
She felt a slight chill from the open window.
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a feeling of sudden fear, anxiety, or alarm.
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sudden coldness of the body, as during the cold stage of an ague.
fevers and chills.
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a depressing influence or sensation.
His presence cast a chill over everyone.
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lack of warmth of feeling; unfriendliness; coolness.
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Foundry. an inserted object or a surface in a mold capable of absorbing large amounts of heat, used to harden the surface of a casting or to increase its rate of solidification at a specific point.
adjective
verb (used without object)
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to become cold.
The earth chills when the sun sets.
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to be seized with a chill; shiver with cold or fear.
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Foundry. (of a casting) to become hard on the surface by contact with a chill or chills.
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Slang. to calm down; relax (often followed byout ).
verb (used with object)
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to affect with cold; make chilly.
The rain has chilled me to the bone.
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to make cool.
Chill the wine before serving.
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to depress; discourage; deter.
The news chilled his hopes.
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Foundry. to harden the surface of (a casting) by casting it in a mold having a chill or chills.
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Slang. to kill; murder.
idioms
noun
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a moderate coldness
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a sensation of coldness resulting from a cold or damp environment, or from a sudden emotional reaction
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a feverish cold
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a check on enthusiasm or joy
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a metal plate placed in a sand mould to accelerate cooling and control local grain growth
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another name for bloom 1
adjective
verb
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to make or become cold
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(tr) to cool or freeze (food, drinks, etc)
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(tr)
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to depress (enthusiasm, etc)
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to discourage
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(tr) to cool (a casting or metal object) rapidly in order to prevent the formation of large grains in the metal
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slang (intr) to relax; calm oneself
Synonym Usage
See cold.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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overchilladjective
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chillinglyadverb
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chillingadjective
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unchilledadjective
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well-chilledadjective
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chillnessnoun
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prechillverb (used with object)
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overchillverb
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has chilledperfect 3rd person singular
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have chilledperfect
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has been chillingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been chillingperfect progressive
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am chillingprogressive 1st person singular
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are chillingprogressive
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chillssingular 3rd person
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chillingparticiple
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is chillingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had chilledperfect
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were chillingprogressive plural
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had been chillingperfect progressive
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chilledsimple
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was chillingprogressive singular
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chilledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of chill
First recorded before 900; Middle English chile, Old English cele, ci(e)le “coolness”; cf. cool, cold; akin to Latin gelāre “to freeze,” gelum “frost, cold,” glaciēs “ice” ( see gelato, gelid, glacier)
Explanation
A sharp burst of cold air or icy temperatures is a chill. The chill of a January day in New England might make you dream of moving to New Mexico. You'll feel a chill when someone opens a window in the winter, or notice a chill in the air on a cool day in September. Another kind of chill makes you shiver, but it's caused by illness and fever rather than a cold breeze: "Symptoms of the flu include chills and headache." A cold attitude is also a chill, as when a chill in the room makes you realize your friends are angry at each other.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ameriprise’s chief market strategist, Anthony Saglimbene, is chill about all the talk of who’s going to get squeezed.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The brand added that it doesn’t use chill packs or thermal wrappings to keep its anchovy supplies fresh.
From Salon • May 28, 2026
Despite their internet reputation as chill, capybaras are among the wild animals that can actually die of stress, a condition called capture myopathy.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
Authorities thought they had started to chill the tank on Friday but later learned that the temperature was increasing by a degree an hour, boosting pressure and increasing the threat.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 24, 2026
“Sis, I’ve been looking for you,” she says with her usual chill vibe.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
