hill

¹

[hil]

noun

1. a natural elevation of the earth's surface, smaller than a mountain.

   Synonyms: foothill, hillock, knoll, mound, prominence, eminence
   Antonyms: valley, hollow

2. an incline, especially in a road.

   This old jalopy won't make it up the next hill.

3. an artificial heap, pile, or mound.

   a hill made by ants.

4. a small mound of earth raised about a cultivated plant or a cluster of such plants.

5. the plant or plants so surrounded.

   a hill of potatoes.

6. Baseball.,  mound.

7. the Hill. Capitol Hill.

verb (used with object)

1. to surround with hills.

   to hill potatoes.

2. to form into a hill or heap.

Hill

²

[hil]

noun

1. Ambrose Powell 1825–65, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.

2. Archibald Vivian 1886–1977, English physiologist: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1922.

3. James Jerome, 1838–1916, U.S. railroad builder and financier, born in Canada.

4. Joe, 1879–1915, U.S. labor organizer and songwriter, born in Sweden.

hill

¹

/ hɪl /

noun

1. 1. a conspicuous and often rounded natural elevation of the earth's surface, less high or craggy than a mountain

   2. ( in combination )

      a hillside

      a hilltop

2. 1. a heap or mound made by a person or animal

   2. ( in combination )

      a dunghill

3. an incline; slope

4. 1. informal,  beyond one's prime

   2. slang,  military absent without leave or deserting

5. strenuously and persistently

verb

1. to form into a hill or mound

2. to cover or surround with a mound or heap of earth

Hill

²

/ hɪl /

noun

1. Archibald Vivian. 1886–1977, British biochemist, noted for his research into heat loss in muscle contraction: shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine (1922)

2. Damon Graham Devereux, son of Graham Hill. born 1960, British motor-racing driver; Formula One world champion (1996)

3. David Octavius 1802–70, Scottish painter and portrait photographer, noted esp for his collaboration with the chemist Robert Adamson (1821–48)

4. Sir Geoffrey ( William ). born 1932, British poet: his books include King Log (1968), Mercian Hymns (1971), The Mystery of the Charity of Charles Péguy (1983), and The Orchards of Syon (2002)

5. Graham. 1929–75, British motor-racing driver: world champion (1962, 1968)

6. Octavia. 1838–1912, British housing reformer; a founder of the National Trust

7. Sir Rowland. 1795–1879, British originator of the penny postage

8. Susan ( Elizabeth ). born 1942, British novelist and writer of short stories: her books include I'm the King of the Castle (1970) The Woman in Black (1983), and Felix Derby (2002)

Other Word Forms

• hiller noun
• underhill noun
• hilly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hill¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hyll; cognate with Middle Dutch hille, Latin collis hill; compare Latin culmen top, peak ( column, culminate ), celsus lofty, very high, Gothic hallus rock, Lithuanian kálnas mountain, Greek kolōnós hill, kolophṓn summit ( colophon )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hill¹

Old English hyll; related to Old Frisian holla head, Latin collis hill, Low German hull hill

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go over the hill,

   1. to break out of prison.

   2. to absent oneself without leave from one's military unit.

   3. to leave suddenly or mysteriously.

      Rumor has it that her husband has gone over the hill.

2. over the hill,

   1. relatively advanced in age.

   2. past one's prime.

see downhill all the way; go downhill; head for (the hills); make a mountain out of a molehill; not worth a dime (hill of beans); old as Adam (the hills); over the hill.

Example Sentences

Matt James has collected gold nuggets for years from the hills and riverbeds of California, but as the precious metal's price soars, he has found an unexpected El Dorado: on social media.

Read more on Barron's

The Rose Bowl has probably the best tailgating surroundings in the country that extends for acres with beautiful grass, trees, hills and views.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The first and only time Kipchoge ran the Boston Marathon, in 2023, he faded from the lead pack on the Newton hills and finished with the slowest time of his career.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and mum fell ill on the hill climb," she said.

Read more on BBC

The hill was crowned with trees and white buildings.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• bluff 
• cliff 
• dune 
• highland 
• hillside 
• hilltop 
• ridge 
• slope