pill

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See also: Pill and píll

English

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 pill on Wikipedia
Assorted pills

Pronunciation

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  • enPR: pĭl, IPA(key): /pɪl/, [pʰɪɫ]
    • Audio (UK):(file)
    • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪl

Etymology 1

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Noun

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pill (plural pills)

  2. (broadly) A small, usually round or cylindrical object designed for easy swallowing, usually containing some sort of medication.
    • 1864, Benjamin Ellis, The Medical Formulary‎[1]:
      Take two pills every hour in the apyrexia of intermittent fever, until eight are taken.
    Hyponyms: tablet, caplet, capsule, lozenge
    2. (strictly) Such an object that is of solid constitution (usually of compressed, bonded powder) rather than a capsule (with a shell containing loose powder or liquid).
      Hyponyms: tablet, caplet, lozenge
      Coordinate term: capsule
  4. (informal, uncountable, definite, i.e. used with "the") Contraceptive medication, usually in the form of a pill to be taken by a woman; an oral contraceptive pill.
    Jane went on the pill when she left for college.
    She got pregnant one month after going off the pill.
    • 1975, “The Pill”, in Back to the Country, performed by Loretta Lynn:
      I'm tearing down your brooder house / 'Cause now I've got the pill
    • 1986, Jurriaan Plesman, Getting Off the Hook: Treatment of Drug Addiction and Social Disorders Through Body and Mind‎[2]:
      Many specialists are requesting that this vitamin be included in all contraceptive pills, as women on the pill have a tendency to be depressed.
  5. Something offensive, unpleasant or nauseous which must be accepted or endured.
    • 1907, E.M. Forster, The Longest Journey, Part I, III [Uniform ed., p. 45]:
      "It's a sad unpalatable truth," said Mr. Pembroke, thinking that the despondency might be personal, "but one must accept it. My sister and Gerald, I am thankful to say, have accepted it, so naturally it has been a little pill."
  6. (slang) A contemptible, annoying, or unpleasant person.
    • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter IV:
      You see, he's egging Phyllis on to marry Wilbert Cream. [...] And when a man like that eggs, something has to give, especially when the girl's a pill like Phyllis, who always does what Daddy tells her.
    • 2000, Susan Isaacs, Shining Through‎[3]:
      Instead, I saw a woman in her mid-fifties, who was a real pill; while all the others had managed a decent “So pleased,” or even a plain “Hello,” Ginger just inclined her head, as if she was doing a Queen Mary imitation.
  7. (slang) A comical or entertaining person.
  8. (textile) A small piece of any substance, for example a ball of fibres formed on the surface of a textile fabric by rubbing. Colloquially known as a bobble, fuzzball, or lint ball.
    • 1999, Wally Lamb, I Know This Much Is True‎[4]:
      One sleeve, threadbare and loaded with what my mother called “sweater pills,” hung halfway to the floor.
  9. (baseball slang) A baseball.
    • 1931, Canadian National Magazine:
      "Strike two!" bawled the umpire. I threw the pill back to Tom with a heart which drummed above the noise of the rooters along the side lines.
    • 2002, John Klima, Pitched Battle: 35 of Baseball's Greatest Duels from the Mound‎[5]:
      Mr. Fisher contributed to the Sox effort when he threw the pill past second baseman Rath after Felsch hit him a comebacker.
  10. (firearms, slang) A bullet (projectile).
  11. (graphical user interface) A rounded rectangle containing a brief text caption indicating the tag or category that an item belongs to.
Usage notes
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The word pill referring to a swallowable unit conveying a dose of medication is polysemic in that it has a broad sense and a narrower sense: broadly, it means any such object, including any tablet or capsule, whereas narrowly, it means a tablet (including the caplet type of tablet) but not a capsule. But the broad sense of the word is widely used in general vocabulary, and also in the medical and nursing literature; linguistically this is predictably inevitable, because natural language has a practical need for a simple hypernym that intuitively covers all such oral dosage forms, and the word pill provides one by long-established idiomatic convention, with no alternative synonym that is thus established. Thus, trying to enforce a usage prescription that insists that the word must never be used in its broad sense is counterproductive to clear and concise communication. This is why some publications' style sheets specify that the words tablet, caplet, and capsule will be used wherever technical precision is needed and that the word pill will be reserved for contexts where the technical precision is irrelevant because the hypernymic concept is clearly meant, as for example in an instruction to ask the patient whether they remember taking all their pills this morning.

Synonyms
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  • (small object for swallowing): tablet
  • (bullet): cap
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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pill (third-person singular simple present pills, present participle pilling, simple past and past participle pilled)

  1. (intransitive, textiles) Of a woven fabric surface, to form small matted balls of fiber.
    • 1997, Jo Sharp, Knitted Sweater Style: Inspirations in Color‎[6]:
      During processing, inferior short fibers (which can cause pilling and itching) are removed to enhance the natural softness of the yarn and to improve its wash-and-wear performance.
  2. To form into the shape of a pill.
    Pilling is a skill rarely used by modern pharmacists.
  3. (transitive) To medicate with pills; to administer pills to.
    She pills herself with all sorts of herbal medicines.
    Pilling the cat is such a nightmare.
  4. (transitive, Internet slang) To persuade or convince someone of something.
  5. (transitive, UK, slang, dated) To blackball (a potential club member).
    • 1907, Arthur Griffiths, Clubs and Clubmen, page 260:
      “I pilled him because he is a liar,” said Thackeray. “He calls himself 'ill' when he isn't.”
Translations
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References
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  • (blackball): 1873, John Camden Hotten, The Slang Dictionary

Etymology 2

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From Middle English pillen, pilen, from Old English pilian (“to peel”), from Latin pilō (“depilate”), from pilus (“hair”). Doublet of peel.

Verb

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pill (third-person singular simple present pills, present participle pilling, simple past and past participle pilled)

  1. (obsolete) To peel; to remove the outer layer of hair, skin, or bark.
  2. To peel; to make by removing the skin.
  3. To be peeled; to peel off in flakes.
  4. (obsolete) To pillage; to despoil or impoverish.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “iiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XXI (in Middle English):
      So syr Lucan departed for he was greuously wounded in many places And so as he yede he sawe and herkened by the mone lyght how that pyllars and robbers were comen in to the felde To pylle and robbe many a ful noble knyghte of brochys and bedys of many a good rynge & of many a ryche Iewel / and who that were not deed al oute
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
      The Galles and thoſe pilling Briggandines,
      That yeerely ſaile to the Uenetian goulfe,
      And houer in the ſtraightes for Chriſtians wracke,
      Shall lie at anchor in the Iſle Aſant.
    • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
      And there by her were poured forth at fill,
      As if, this to adorne, she all the rest did pill

Noun

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pill (plural pills)

  1. (obsolete) The peel or skin.
    • 1575, Jacques du Fouilloux, “Of the Termes of Venery”, in George Gascoigne, transl., The Noble Art of Venerie or Hunting. […], London: […] Thomas Purfoot, published 1611, →OCLC, page 244:
      His [a hart's] head when it commeth firſt out, hath a ruſſet pyll vpon it, the which is called Veluet, […]. When his head is growne out to the full bigneſſe, then he rubbeth of that pyll, and that is called fraying of his head. And afterwards he Burniſheth the ſame, and then his head is ſaid to be full ſommed.
    • 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
      Some be covered with crusts or hard pills, as the locust
    • 1682, A perfect school of Instructions for the Officers of the Mouth:
      To make Sallet of Lemon pill, or green Citron. You must have your Lemon Pill preserved very green, Rasp it into a Dish, and raise it up lightly with a Fork […]

Etymology 3

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From Middle English *pill, *pyll, from Old English pyll (“a pool, pill”), from Proto-Germanic *pullijaz (“small pool, ditch, creek”), diminutive of Proto-Germanic *pullaz (“pool, stream”), from Proto-Indo-European *bl̥nos (“bog, marsh”). Cognate with Old English pull (“pool, creek”), Scots poll (“slow moving stream, creek, inlet”), Icelandic pollur (“pond, pool, puddle”). More at pool.

Noun

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pill (plural pills)

  2. (now UK regional) An inlet on the coast; a small tidal pool or bay.

Albanian

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Etymology

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A form of pidh from Proto-Albanian *pizda, from Proto-Indo-European *písdeh₂ (“pudenda”). Cognate to Lithuanian pyzdà (“pudenda”) and Russian пизда (pizda, “pudenda”)

Noun

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pill

  1. vagina
  2. cunt (vulgar)

Synonyms

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Estonian

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Etymology 1

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From Proto-Finnic *pilli.

Noun

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pill (genitive pilli, partitive pilli)

  1. (music) instrument
Declension
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Declension of pill (type paks)
singular plural
nominative pill pillid
genitive pilli pillide
partitive pilli pille / pillisid
illative pilli / pillisse pillidesse / pillesse
inessive pillis pillides / pilles
elative pillist pillidest / pillest
allative pillile pillidele / pillele
adessive pillil pillidel / pillel
ablative pillilt pillidelt / pillelt
translative pilliks pillideks / pilleks
terminative pillini pillideni
essive pillina pillidena
abessive pillita pillideta
comitative pilliga pillidega
Synonyms
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Etymology 2

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Borrowed from German Pille.

Noun

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pill (genitive pilli, partitive pilli)

  1. (medicine) pill
Declension
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Declension of pill (type paks)
singular plural
nominative pill pillid
genitive pilli pillide
partitive pilli pille / pillisid
illative pilli / pillisse pillidesse / pillesse
inessive pillis pillides / pilles
elative pillist pillidest / pillest
allative pillile pillidele / pillele
adessive pillil pillidel / pillel
ablative pillilt pillidelt / pillelt
translative pilliks pillideks / pilleks
terminative pillini pillideni
essive pillina pillidena
abessive pillita pillideta
comitative pilliga pillidega
Synonyms
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Irish

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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Through reinterpretation of /fʲ/ as the lenition of /pʲ/.

Verb

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pill (present analytic pilleann, future analytic pillfidh, verbal noun pilleadh, past participle pillte)

  1. Ulster form of fill (“return”)
Conjugation
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conjugation of pill (first conjugation – A)
singular plural relative autonomous
first second third first second third
indicative present pillim pilleann tú;
pillir† 		pilleann sé, sí pillimid pilleann sibh pilleann siad;
pillid† 		a philleann; a philleas /
a bpilleann* 		pilltear
past phill mé; philleas phill tú; phillis phill sé, sí philleamar; phill muid phill sibh; philleabhair phill siad; philleadar a phill /
ar phill* 		pilleadh
past habitual phillinn / bpillinn‡‡ phillteá / bpillteᇇ philleadh sé, sí / bpilleadh sé, s퇇 phillimis; philleadh muid / bpillimis‡‡; bpilleadh muid‡‡ philleadh sibh / bpilleadh sibh‡‡ phillidís; philleadh siad / bpillidís‡‡; bpilleadh siad‡‡ a philleadh /
a bpilleadh* 		philltí / bpillt퇇
future pillfidh mé;
pillfead 		pillfidh tú;
pillfir† 		pillfidh sé, sí pillfimid;
pillfidh muid 		pillfidh sibh pillfidh siad;
pillfid† 		a phillfidh; a phillfeas /
a bpillfidh* 		pillfear
conditional phillfinn / bpillfinn‡‡ phillfeá / bpillfeᇇ phillfeadh sé, sí / bpillfeadh sé, s퇇 phillfimis; phillfeadh muid / bpillfimis‡‡; bpillfeadh muid‡‡ phillfeadh sibh / bpillfeadh sibh‡‡ phillfidís; phillfeadh siad / bpillfidís‡‡; bpillfeadh siad‡‡ a phillfeadh /
a bpillfeadh* 		phillfí / bpillf퇇
subjunctive present go bpille mé;
go bpillead† 		go bpille tú;
go bpillir† 		go bpille sé, sí go bpillimid;
go bpille muid 		go bpille sibh go bpille siad;
go bpillid† 		— go bpilltear
past dá bpillinn dá bpillteá dá bpilleadh sé, sí dá bpillimis;
dá bpilleadh muid 		dá bpilleadh sibh dá bpillidís;
dá bpilleadh siad 		— dá bpilltí
imperative pillim pill pilleadh sé, sí pillimis pilligí;
pillidh† 		pillidís — pilltear
verbal noun pilleadh
past participle pillte

* indirect relative
† archaic or dialect form
‡‡ dependent form used with particles that trigger eclipsis

Etymology 2

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See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

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pill

  1. inflection of peall:
    1. vocative/genitive singular
    2. nominative/dative plural

Mutation

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Mutated forms of pill
radical lenition eclipsis
pill phill bpill

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Scottish Gaelic

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Noun

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pill m

  1. genitive singular of peall

Mutation

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Mutation of pill
radical lenition
pill phill

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Scottish Gaelic.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Swedish

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Noun

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pill n

  1. (colloquial) finicky or fiddly activity
    Det är alltid sånt pill med gräsklipparen
    The lawn mower is always so finicky
    Det är alltid sånt pill att sy fast knappar
    It's always so fiddly to sew buttons on
    Det är mycket pill nu
    There's a lot of finicky work right now

Usage notes

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Could be translated as "finickness" or "finick" (finicky activity) if any of those were used in English. See pilla for intuition.

Declension

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Declension of pill
nominative genitive
singular indefinite pill pills
definite pillet pillets
plural indefinite — —
definite — —
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References

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Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=pill&oldid=81555126"