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ill

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Evil, harmful, or unfavorable; also, sick—dual meaning allows moral and physical connotations in poetic description.

Detailed Definition
As adjective, “ill” denotes moral or physical affliction. In poetry, it structures binaries—“ill and good.” The term’s simplicity suits proverbs or curses (“ill betide”). Poets use it to frame fate, health, or intent, where “ill” wind or will brings suffering, reinforcing themes of fortune, virtue, and vulnerability in narrative and lyrical traditions.
Example
Example in poetry:
“Ill winds blow from the east,” in a prophetic lyric; In Shakespeare: “Ill mayst thou thrive, if thou grant any grace!”; “Ill deeds return like ravens to the hand,” a proverbial line; “She bore ill news with grace,” a character study; “Ill fortune tests true friendship,” a stoic maxim in verse; Ill thoughts breed ill words, and worse.
Additional Notes
“Ill” in archaic usage often means “evil” rather than “sick” (e.g., “ill will”); in moralizing or allegorical poetry, it personifies malevolence, and phrases like “woe is me for my ill” tie personal suffering to cosmic disorder.
Also Known As
evil wicked unwell Ailing
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