Wiktionary

dill

See also: díll and Dill

English

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /dɪl/
  • Rhymes: -ɪl
  • Audio (UK):(file)
 
Dill, Antheum graveolens, an herb.

Etymology 1

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From Middle English dile, from Old English dile (“dill, anise”); from Proto-Germanic *deliz, of uncertain, probably non-Indo-European origin, possibly a west European substrate.[1]

Cognate with Old Saxon dilli, Dutch dille, Swedish dill, German Dill.

Noun

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dill (countable and uncountable, plural dills)

  2. Anethum graveolens (the type species of the genus Anethum), a herb, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; also known as dillseed.
    • 1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 253:
      The life of one plant would be affected by another. Rue was definitely hostile to basil, rosemary to hyssop, but coriander, dill and chervil lived on the friendliest of terms[.]
  3. A cucumber pickled with dill flavoring.
    Synonym: dill pickle
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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terms derived from dill (noun)
Translations
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Verb

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dill (third-person singular simple present dills, present participle dilling, simple past and past participle dilled)

  1. To cook or flavor with dill.
    • 2014, Anatoly (Tony) Kandiew, Red Devils, →ISBN, page 139:
      My mother would pickle them and dill them, and we still had an abundance of fresh vegetables left.

See also

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Etymology 2

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Variant of dull

Verb

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dill (third-person singular simple present dills, present participle dilling, simple past and past participle dilled)

  1. To still; to assuage; to calm; to soothe, as one in pain.
    • 1775, Robert Baillie, Letters and Journals: Written by the deceased Mr. Robert Baillie, Principal of the University of Glasgow, page 252:
      The noise of the Queen's voyage to France is dilled down ; no money for her furniture will be got in haste; and the Cardinal has no will of her mother.
    • 1829, Publications - Issue 25, Volume 2, page x:
      The innocent was punished. The gear is payed and the thieves dilled down.
    • 1829, John Spalding, James Skene, The History of the Troubles and Memorable Transactions in Scotland, page vii:
      The Provincial Assembly sits down. Dr. Guild moderator. Dr. Scroggie preaches. His sermon found faulty. It dills down.
    • 1890, Thomas Nield, Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England: A Drama, page 23:
      And there is nought to call them back, while these Curmudgeon generals dill down in their fear.
    • 1938, Alexander Ross, Scot. Text S, page 195:
      That now the dinn o' it wad soon dill down, An' but a story at the last be found.

Etymology 3

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Perhaps a backformation from dilly (“silly”).

Noun

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dill (plural dills)

  1. (Australia, informal) A fool.
    • 2016, Robert G. Barrett, And De Fun Don't Done: A Les Norton Novel:
      He could go over and monster his way among the poms, but he was that drunk he'd probably only make a dill of himself.

References

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  1. ^ “dill”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.

Icelandic

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Etymology

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From Old Norse dylja, from Proto-Germanic *dilja-, of uncertain, non-Indo-European origin, possibly a substrate.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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dill n (genitive singular dills, no plural)

  1. dill (Anethum graveolens)

Declension

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Declension of dill (sg-only neuter)
singular
indefinite definite
nominative dill dillið
accusative dill dillið
dative dilli dillinu
genitive dills dillsins

Swedish

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Etymology

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From Old Swedish dil, from Old Norse dylja, from Proto-Germanic *dilja-, of uncertain, non-Indo-European origin, possibly a substrate.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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dill c (uncountable)

  1. the herb dill

Declension

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Declension of dill
nominative genitive
singular indefinite dill dills
definite dillen dillens
plural indefinite — —
definite — —
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