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
Related Words
See cold.
Other Word Forms
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.
Then, the sight that would have sent a chill up the spine of every Hearts fan - referee John Beaton stopping dead in his tracks with his finger to his ear.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
One limiting factor will be the availability of export infrastructure, such as the multibillion-dollar terminals that chill natural gas to minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit to make it a liquid suitable for ocean transport.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
In the meantime, the chill on the bench is real, as is the fear.
From Slate • May 12, 2026
On the day of the strike — which was also his 7th birthday — the first-grader wore a blue sweater because of the morning chill.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
A chill raced through me, and I pulled my coat tighter against the February cold.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
