sick

¹

[sik]

adjective

sicker, sickest 

1. affected with ill health, disease, or illness; ailing.

   She was sick with the flu for two weeks.

   Synonyms: indisposed, infirm
   Antonyms: healthy, hale, well

2. affected with nausea; inclined to vomit.

   If you feel sick, take a few deep breaths and wait for the feeling to pass.

   Synonyms: nauseated, nauseous

3. deeply affected with some unpleasant feeling, as of sorrow, disgust, or boredom.

   The suffering and torments of the wounded make me sick at heart.

   I never thought it would happen, but after two years of college I'm sick of parties.

4. mentally, morally, or emotionally deranged, corrupt, or unsound.

   Only someone with a sick mind would suggest such an immoral scheme.

   He made wild statements that made him seem sick.

5. dwelling on or obsessed with that which is gruesome, sadistic, ghoulish, or the like; morbid: sick jokes.

   a sick comedian;

   sick jokes.

6. of, relating to, or for use during ill health.

   He applied for sick benefits.

7. accompanied by or suggestive of ill health; sickly.

   a sick pallor;

   the sick smell of disinfectant in the corridors.

8. disgusted; chagrined.

   Such blatant hypocrisy makes me sick.

9. not in proper condition; impaired.

   My car is sick and I'm afraid it's going to cost a lot of money to repair.

10. Slang.,  great; amazing.

    The plot is boring but the special effects are sick!

11. Agriculture.

    1. failing to sustain adequate harvests of some crop, usually specified.

       a wheat-sick soil.

    2. containing harmful microorganisms.

       a sick field.

12. Now Rare: Sometimes Offensive.,  menstruating.

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. people in ill health collectively.

   We have a duty of care toward the sick.

sick

²

[sik]

verb (used with object)

1. sic.

sick

¹

/ sɪk /

adjective

1. inclined or likely to vomit

2. 1. suffering from ill health

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the sick

3. 1. of, relating to, or used by people who are unwell

      sick benefits

   2. ( in combination )

      sickroom

4. deeply affected with a mental or spiritual feeling akin to physical sickness

   sick at heart

5. mentally, psychologically, or spiritually disturbed

6. informal,  delighting in or catering for the macabre or sadistic; morbid

   sick humour

7. Also: sick and tired. informal,  (often foll by of) disgusted or weary, esp because satiated

   I am sick of his everlasting laughter

8. (often foll by for) weary with longing; pining

   I am sick for my own country

9. pallid or sickly

10. not in working order

11. (of land) unfit for the adequate production of certain crops

12. slang,  to be outclassed

noun

1. an informal word for vomit

sick

²

/ sɪk /

verb

1. a variant spelling of sic 2

Other Word Forms

• sickish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sick¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sek, sik, Old English sēoc; cognate with Dutch ziek, German siech, Old Norse sjūkr, Gothic siuks

Word History and Origins

Origin of sick¹

Old English sēoc; related to Old Norse skjūkr, Gothic siuks, Old High German sioh

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sick to one's stomach, nauseated.

2. sick and tired, utterly weary; fed up.

   I'm sick and tired of working so hard!

3. sick as a dog. dog.

4. sick at one's stomach, nauseated.

5. call in sick, to notify one's place of employment that one will be absent from work because of illness.

   I'd rather not call in sick tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can drive like this.

More idioms and phrases containing sick

• call in sick
• get sick
• make one sick
• worried sick

Synonym Study

See ill.

Example Sentences

That is because CMS pays higher rates for sicker patients, and insurers that coordinate their care more efficiently get to keep more of that money.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Most of those taken sick experienced diarrhoea, nausea and dizziness after they ate meals that were served on Tuesday, local health agency head Ismono told journalists.

Read more on Barron's

It lasted right up until missed paychecks caused air-traffic controllers to start calling in sick, about 35 days.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But she felt nobody grasped how serious things were for Mason: "It was the most basic nursing care and they would have known how sick he was."

Read more on BBC

When we announced we were moving to Ecuador 15 years ago, a relative asked what we planned to do if we got sick.

Read more on MarketWatch