chill
/tʃɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /tʃɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈchil/ (ame, mw)
chill — verb
- chillpresent simple I / you / we / they
- chills3rd person singular
- chilling-ing form
- chilledpast simple
1. to make food, drink, or another object cold, but not cold enough to freeze it, o
to make food, drink, or another object cold, but not cold enough to freeze it, or to become cold in this way
The recipe says to chill the cake in the fridge for at least two hours.
transitive: chill + object + in + container
After baking, let the cookies chill on the counter before storing them.
intransitive: something chills on + surface
Diego chilled the bottle of water in the stream during the hike.
The cold wind chilled the balcony, so we moved inside for dinner.
White wine should be chilled slowly, not put straight into the freezer.
- cool
milder drop in temperature, usually to a pleasant level
- refrigerate
more formal, specifically means storing in a fridge at a controlled low temperature
- ice
means to cool with ice, often for drinks
文法句型
chill + object
chill + adverb/preposition
something chills
用法筆記
Both transitive (chill + object) and intransitive (something chills) forms are common. The transitive form is most often used for food and drink preparation.
常見錯誤
2. to relax in a gentle way, usually by not doing any work or intense activity
to relax in a gentle way, usually by not doing any work or intense activity
On Saturday mornings, Priya likes to chill at home with a good book.
collocation: chill at home
After finishing their project, the team chilled at the beach for a few hours.
collocation: chill at + location
Rohan spent the whole afternoon chilling in the yard with his dog.
We decided to just chill by the pool instead of going to the party.
The old cat spent the morning chilling in a warm patch of sunlight.
文法句型
chill + at/with/by + place/person
just chill
用法筆記
Informal register, common in everyday speech. Often used with 'out' as the phrasal verb 'chill out' for added emphasis. Never used in passive voice.
常見錯誤
3. to stay calm and not let a difficult situation make you angry, worried, or upset
to stay calm and not let a difficult situation make you angry, worried, or upset
Even when the train was delayed, Aiko stayed chill and waited patiently.
pattern: stay chill + despite [problem]
The coach told his players to chill and focus on the next play.
When the computer crashed, Ravi took a deep breath and tried to chill.
My manager is great at staying chill during stressful meetings at work.
- calm down
more explicit and widely understood across registers
- relax
broader meaning but works in this context
- take it easy
idiomatic and slightly more polite
文法句型
stay/keep + chill
chill + during/in + stressful situation
用法筆記
Informal register, mostly in spoken English. This sense is frequently used in the imperative as a piece of advice or encouragement ('Chill!', 'Just chill!'). Distinguish from the UNWIND sense: this sense focuses on emotional control during stress rather than doing nothing to relax.
常見錯誤
chill — noun
- chillsingular
- chillsplural
1. an uncomfortable feeling of coldness in the body, the air, or a place
an uncomfortable feeling of coldness in the body, the air, or a place
The morning chill made Yara reach for her wool scarf and gloves.
There was a noticeable chill in the air when autumn arrived.
pattern: a [adjective] chill in the air
A chill ran down Beatriz's spine as she entered the old cellar.
The chill of the marble floor went through Hana's thin socks.
- warmth
a comfortable level of heat
文法句型
the + chill
a + adjective + chill
chill + of + noun
用法筆記
Typically used in the singular with a determiner ('the chill', 'a chill'). The phrase 'a chill in the air' is a very common fixed expression for describing weather. The expression 'a chill runs down one's spine' describes a physical reaction to cold or fear.
常見錯誤
2. an illness that causes a feeling of coldness in the body, often with shivering a
an illness that causes a feeling of coldness in the body, often with shivering and a slight fever, usually caused by getting wet or cold
Tomás caught a chill after walking home in the rain without a coat.
collocation: catch a chill
All three children came down with chills and fever during the winter break.
A hot cup of ginger tea helps when you feel a chill coming on.
The nurse said the chill would pass after a day of bed rest.
文法句型
catch + a + chill
have + the + chills
feel + a + chill + coming on
用法筆記
Often used in the plural ('the chills') for the physical shaking and cold sensation during illness. 'To catch a chill' is a fixed expression meaning to become mildly ill from exposure to cold or wet conditions.
常見錯誤
3. a brief, strong feeling of fear or dread that comes without warning, often trigg
a brief, strong feeling of fear or dread that comes without warning, often triggered by something unsettling
A chill of fear went through Kofi when he heard footsteps behind him.
pattern: a chill of [emotion] + movement verb
The old house gave Leila a chill the moment she stepped inside.
That strange phone call sent a chill down Rashida's spine.
A sudden chill of dread washed over Noa as she read the letter.
- warmth
a pleasant, comfortable feeling
文法句型
a + chill + of + emotion
send + a + chill + down/through + pronoun
a + chill + verb + through + pronoun
用法筆記
Typically singular and used in literary or descriptive language. The fixed expression 'send a chill down/up someone's spine' is a common idiom for describing something scary or disturbing.
常見錯誤
chill — adjective
- chillpositive
- chillercomparative
- chillestsuperlative
1. uncomfortably cold, but not freezing — used to describe weather, wind, water, or
uncomfortably cold, but not freezing — used to describe weather, wind, water, or the temperature of a place
A chill wind blew through the open window in the bedroom.
collocation: chill wind
The water in the mountain stream felt chill against Diego's skin.
It was a chill morning, so Wen decided to wear a thick sweater.
The old stone walls made the room feel chill even in summer.
文法句型
chill + noun
feel + chill
用法筆記
The adjective 'chilly' is more common than 'chill' for describing weather and temperature in standard English. 'Chill' as an adjective for cold is slightly less formal and more common in American English.
常見錯誤
2. very relaxed and easy-going in character or atmosphere, not easily bothered or s
very relaxed and easy-going in character or atmosphere, not easily bothered or stressed
My uncle has such a chill personality that nothing ever bothers him.
collocation: chill personality
The café had a chill atmosphere with soft lighting and beanbags.
collocation: chill atmosphere
Rashida is very chill about deadlines and always finishes ahead of time.
We found a chill little bar by the beach with great music.
- laid-back
very similar in meaning and register
- easy-going
slightly more formal, common in both speech and writing
- relaxed
neutral register, appropriate in most contexts
文法句型
chill + noun (person/atmosphere/vibe)
be + chill + about + noun
用法筆記
Informal, mostly used in spoken language and social media. Describes a person's relaxed character or the easy atmosphere of a place. Do not use this in formal or academic writing.