Middle English

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Etymology 1

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From Old English yfel, from Proto-West Germanic *ubil, from Proto-Germanic *ubilaz, of disputed further etymology.

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈivəl/, /ˈeːvəl/, /ˈuvəl/
  • (Kent) IPA(key): /ˈɛvəl/, /ˈɛːvəl/

Adjective

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yvel (plural and weak singular yvele, comparative worse, superlative worst)

  1. Morally evil; iniquitous, malign
  2. Causing harm; injurious, damaging:
    1. (pathology) infected, abnormal
    2. Causing trouble; tendentious, irascible
  3. Not pleasing; unpleasant, foul.
  4. Worthy of pity; pitiful, sorry.
  5. Having bad fortune; unlucky, unfortunate
  6. Of poor design or manufacture; bad, shoddy
  7. Disparaging, negative, uncomplimentary.
  8. Not trusted; untrustworthy
  9. Not easy; challenging, hard
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Descendants
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  • English: evil
  • Scots: evil
References
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Noun

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yvel (plural yveles)

  1. Moral evil; iniquity, wrongness:
    1. A sin or moral transgression.
    2. An evil or malicious being.
  2. Harm, injury, trouble:
    1. Someone or something that harms or troubles.
    2. A malady or disease.
    3. (rare) Negative or uncomplimentary speech.
Descendants
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References
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Etymology 2

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From Old English yfele, yfle (evilly, badly).

Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈivəl(ə)/, /ˈeːvəl(ə)/, /ˈuvəl(ə)/, /-vlə/
  • (Kent) IPA(key): /ˈɛvəl(ə)/, /ˈɛːvəl(ə)/, /-vlə/

Adverb

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yvel (comparative worse, superlative worst)

  1. wickedly, evilly, iniquitously
  2. badly, sloppily, poorly
  3. injuriously, harmfully; in a damaging way.
  4. hurtfully; in a way causing physical injury.
  5. unfortunately, sadly, miserably.
  6. wrongly, incorrectly; counter to fact.
  7. sickly; having disease or illness.
  8. in no way, hardly, insufficiently.
  9. just, barely; by a narrow margin.
Descendants
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  • English: evil (obsolete)
References
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