chill

Etymology

From Middle English chele, chile, from Old English ċiele, ċele (“cold; coldness”), from Proto-West Germanic *kali, from Proto-Germanic *kaliz, from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to be cold”). Closely related with Dutch kil. Also akin to cool, cold, which see.

noun

1. A moderate, but uncomfortable and penetrating coldness.
   There was a chill in the air.
   Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame. With more settled people, animals were harnessed to capstans or caged in treadmills to turn grist into meal. 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4
2. A sudden penetrating sense of cold, especially one that causes a brief trembling nerve response through the body; the trembling response itself; often associated with illness: fevers and chills, or susceptibility to illness.
   Close the window or you'll catch a chill.
   I felt a chill when the wind picked up.
3. An uncomfortable and numbing sense of fear, dread, anxiety, or alarm, often one that is sudden and usually accompanied by a trembling nerve response resembling the body's response to biting cold.
   Despite the heat, he felt a chill as he entered the crime scene.
   The actor's eerie portrayal sent chills through the audience.
   His menacing presence cast a chill over everyone.
4. An iron mould or portion of a mould, serving to cool rapidly, and so to harden, the surface of molten iron brought in contact with it..
5. The hardened part of a casting, such as the tread of a carriage wheel.
6. A lack of warmth and cordiality; unfriendliness.
   However, the chill between the two giants did not last long; every constituency except the Westernizers found virtue in warming up to China. 1998, Ilya Prizel, National Identity and Foreign Policy
   His eyes are cold, and the chill between us twists in the pit of my stomach. 2014, Tammara Webber, Between the Lines
7. Calmness; equanimity.
   For those of us who relate to that furious paddling in some form (whether we choose to conceal it below the surface or not), we are probably also aware of what, besides the water, we are really clashing against: a culture of chill. October 12, 2017, Rebecca Okin, “Okin ’19: Chill culture isn’t cool”, in The Brown Daily Herald
   A heated, in-door pool flanked by sumptuous daybeds where dark-slated walls, fiber-optic mood lighting, underwater sound system, and soothing waterfall deliver serious chill. October 19, 2017, Stephanie Orma, “Why This Chic Milan Hotel Is the Ultimate Design Lover's Escape”, in Forbes
   From the very start of the interview, Lawrence's manic energy proved that she had absolutely no chill. November 3, 2017, Libby Hill, “Jennifer Lawrence gets weird in delightful interview with Kim Kardahian West”, in Los Angeles Times
   Granted, Tyrese put himself out there by even posting the video, knowing the internet has no chill. November 5, 2017, Tanay Hudson, “Tyrese’s Meltdown Is Not A Laughing Matter”, in Madame Noire
8. A sense of style; trendiness; savoir faire.
   Will and Grace still have no chill; having a pillow fight in the Oval Office proves that. November 1, 2017, Araceli Aviles, “Will & Grace Series (Re)Premiere Review: Same Characters, Different World”, in TV Overmind
   Angelina left Brad, which upsets me because I'm human," said Corden, adding that Netflix had chill, but the FBI had "zero chill." December 16, 2016, “James Corden Recaps 2016 With Comedy, Then Makes Somber Plea for Aleppo's Children”, in Hollywood Reporter
   “Las Vegas has glitz, but Palm Springs has chill,” Stone said. October 26, 2017, Brian Blueskye, “The Palm Springs City Council Candidate Interview: Robert Julian Stone”, in Coachella Valley Independent
   He's awesome, full of energy, real chill and fun to talk with. November 3, 2017, Greg Biggins, “Three-Star DE Jermayne Lole Planning Pac-12 Visits”, in 24/7 Sports

adj

1. Moderately cold or chilly.
   A chill wind was blowing down the street.
2. Unwelcoming; not cordial.
   Arriving late at the wedding, we were met with a chill reception.
3. (slang) Calm, relaxed, easygoing.
   The teacher is really chill and doesn't care if you use your phone during class.
   Paint-your-own ceramics studios are a chill way to express yourself while learning more about your date's right brain.
   I might put it on if someone’s asking me a question I don’t want to answer. It’s like playing the character of an obnoxious, but chill, girl. 2023-05-15, Alaina Demopoulos, “Why are so many young Americans adopting fake British accents?”, in The Guardian, →ISSN
4. (slang) "Cool"; meeting a certain hip standard or garnering the approval of a certain peer group.
   That new movie was chill, man.
5. (slang) Okay, not a problem.
   Sorry about that. —It's chill.

verb

1. (transitive) To lower the temperature of something; to cool.
   Chill before serving.
2. (intransitive) To become cold.
   In the wind he chilled quickly.
3. (transitive, metallurgy) To harden a metal surface by sudden cooling.
4. (intransitive, metallurgy) To become hard by rapid cooling.
5. (intransitive, slang) To relax; to lie back.
   Chill, man, we've got a whole week to do it; no sense in getting worked up.
   The new gym teacher really has to chill or he's gonna blow a gasket.
   A time to live and a time to die / A time to break and a time to chill / To act civilized or act real ill 1979, “Rapper's Delight”, performed by Sugarhill Gang
6. (intransitive, slang) To "hang", hang out; to spend time with another person or group.
   Hey, we should chill this weekend.
7. (intransitive, slang) To smoke marijuana.
   On Friday night do you wanna chill?
8. (transitive, figurative) To discourage, depress.
   Censorship chills public discourse.