hill

¹ American  

[hil] / hɪl /

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.

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verb (used with object)

1. to surround with hills.

   to hill potatoes.

2. to form into a hill or heap.

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.

Hill ² American  

[hil] / hɪl /

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.

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hill ¹ British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to form into a hill or mound

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

Hill ² British  

/ 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)

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hill More Idioms  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• hiller noun
• hilly adjective
• underhill noun

Etymology

Origin of hill

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 )

Example Sentences

Investors, already spooked by concerns over extended tech valuations and the huge spending on AI, ran for the hills as crude rocketed to its highest level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

From Barron's

A police helicopter was also scrambled to fly at low level over the bare upland hills and farm tracks surrounding the reservoir, on the lookout for vehicles or tents.

From BBC

In a busy 48 hours of weather we have seen the UK's warmest day of the year so far, a covering of hill snow, as well as Saharan dust and "blood rain".

From BBC

But while Space Mountain tops off at about 32 mph, it likely still has Galacticoaster beat in the intensity factor due to its lift hill, sudden dips, jolting turns and near pitch-black darkness.

From Los Angeles Times

Scott Jeffery, who runs an e-bike shop, says they have many advantages, chief among them that they allow riders to travel further and climb hills more easily than a push bike.

From BBC

Related Words

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