chill

American  

[chil] / tʃɪl /

noun

1. coldness, especially a moderate but uncomfortably penetrating coldness.

   the chill of evening.

2. a sensation of cold, usually with shivering.

   She felt a slight chill from the open window.

3. a feeling of sudden fear, anxiety, or alarm.

4. sudden coldness of the body, as during the cold stage of an ague.

   fevers and chills.

5. a depressing influence or sensation.

   His presence cast a chill over everyone.

6. lack of warmth of feeling; unfriendliness; coolness.

7. 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.

8. bloom.

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adjective

1. moderately cold; tending to cause shivering; chilly.

   a chill wind.

2. shivering with or affected by cold; chilly.

3. depressing or discouraging.

   chill prospects.

4. Slang. cool.

5. unduly formal; unfriendly; chilly.

   a chill reception.

   Synonyms:

   stiff, hostile, aloof, cold

verb (used without object)

1. to become cold.

   The earth chills when the sun sets.

2. to be seized with a chill; shiver with cold or fear.

3. Foundry. (of a casting) to become hard on the surface by contact with a chill or chills.

4. Slang. to calm down; relax (often followed byout ).

verb (used with object)

1. to affect with cold; make chilly.

   The rain has chilled me to the bone.

2. to make cool.

   Chill the wine before serving.

3. to depress; discourage; deter.

   The news chilled his hopes.

4. Foundry. to harden the surface of (a casting) by casting it in a mold having a chill or chills.

5. bloom.

6. Slang. to kill; murder.

idioms

1. take a chill pill, See chill pill.

chill British  

/ tʃɪl /

noun

1. a moderate coldness

2. a sensation of coldness resulting from a cold or damp environment, or from a sudden emotional reaction

3. a feverish cold

4. a check on enthusiasm or joy

5. a metal plate placed in a sand mould to accelerate cooling and control local grain growth

6. another name for bloom 1

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adjective

1. another word for chilly

verb

1. to make or become cold

2. (tr) to cool or freeze (food, drinks, etc)

3. (tr)

   1. to depress (enthusiasm, etc)

   2. to discourage

4. (tr) to cool (a casting or metal object) rapidly in order to prevent the formation of large grains in the metal

5. slang (intr) to relax; calm oneself

Related Words

See cold.

Other Word Forms

• chilling adjective
• chillingly adverb
• chillness noun
• overchill adjective
• prechill verb (used with object)
• unchilled adjective
• well-chilled adjective

Etymology

Origin of chill

First recorded before 900; Middle English chile, Old English cele, ci(e)le “coolness”; cool, cold; akin to Latin gelāre “to freeze,” gelum “frost, cold,” glaciēs “ice” ( gelato, gelid, glacier )

Example Sentences

On March 18, Dakar called for an international investigation into "allegations of corruption within the CAF leadership" in a statement that sent a chill through Morocco.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Advocacy groups including Equal Rights Advocates, Child USA and Sanctuary for Families have backed her efforts, warning that allowing retaliatory defamation claims to proceed could chill survivors from coming forward.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Companies such as Venture Global, Cheniere and Sempra greenlighted new multibillion-dollar investments in massive plants and expansions to chill natural gas.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

They glittered in gold platform heels, black and tan powersuits, and fur-lined wool dresses for the winter chill lingering in Washington.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

When we returned to the dormitory, I would rub her feet and hands, but my own only picked up the chill from hers.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• biting
• chilly
• freezing
• frigid
• frosty
• icy
• wintry