pill

views updated Jun 08 2018

pill1 / pil/ • n. a small round mass of solid medicine to be swallowed whole. ∎  (the pill or the Pill) a contraceptive pill: she is on the pill. ∎ inf. a tedious or unpleasant person. ∎ inf. (in some sports) a humorous term for a ball.PHRASES: a bitter pill (to swallow) an unpleasant or painful necessity (to accept).DERIVATIVES: pil·u·lar / ˈpilyələr/ adj.pill2 • v. [intr.] (of knitted fabric) form small balls of fluff on its surface.

pill

views updated Jun 08 2018

pill small ball of medicinal substance to be swallowed XV; transf. pellet, ball XVI. — MLG., MDu. pille, Du. pil, presumably — reduced form of L. pilula PILULE.

pill

views updated May 23 2018

pill (pil) n.
1. a small ball of variable size, shape, and colour, sometimes coated with sugar, that contains one or more medicinal substances in solid form. It is taken by mouth.

2. the Pill see oral contraceptive.

PILL

views updated May 23 2018

PILL (pɪl) Computing programmed instruction language learning