hill

¹

[ hil ]

noun

1. a natural elevation of the earth's surface, smaller than a mountain.

   Synonyms: foothill, hillock, knoll, mound, prominence, eminence

   Antonyms: valley, hollow

2. an incline, especially in a road:

   This old jalopy won't make it up the next hill.

3. an artificial heap, pile, or mound:

   a hill made by ants.

4. a small mound of earth raised about a cultivated plant or a cluster of such plants.
5. the plant or plants so surrounded:

   a hill of potatoes.

6. Baseball. mound ¹( def 4 ).
7. the Hill. Capitol Hill.

verb (used with object)

1. to surround with hills:

   to hill potatoes.

2. to form into a hill or heap.

Hill

²

[ hil ]

noun

1. Ambrose Pow·ell [pou, -, uh, l], 1825–65, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
2. Archibald Viv·i·an [viv, -ee-, uh, n], 1886–1977, English physiologist: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1922.
3. James Jerome, 1838–1916, U.S. railroad builder and financier, born in Canada.
4. Joe, 1879–1915, U.S. labor organizer and songwriter, born in Sweden.

hill

¹

/ hɪl /

noun

1. 1. a conspicuous and often rounded natural elevation of the earth's surface, less high or craggy than a mountain
   2. ( in combination )

      a hillside

      a hilltop

2. 1. a heap or mound made by a person or animal
   2. ( in combination )

      a dunghill

3. an incline; slope
4. over the hill
   1. beyond one's prime
   2. military absent without leave or deserting
5. up hill and down dale
   strenuously and persistently

verb

1. to form into a hill or mound
2. to cover or surround with a mound or heap of earth

Hill

²

/ hɪl /

noun

1. HillArchibald Vivian18861977MBritishSCIENCE: chemist Archibald Vivian. 1886–1977, British biochemist, noted for his research into heat loss in muscle contraction: shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine (1922)
2. HillDamon Graham Devereux1960MBritishSPORT AND GAMES: racing driver Damon Graham Devereux, son of Graham Hill. born 1960, British motor-racing driver; Formula One world champion (1996)
3. HillDavid Octavius18021870MScottishARTS AND CRAFTS: painterARTS AND CRAFTS: photographer David Octavius 1802–70, Scottish painter and portrait photographer, noted esp for his collaboration with the chemist Robert Adamson (1821–48)
4. HillSir Geoffrey (William)1932MBritishWRITING: poet Sir Geoffrey ( William ). born 1932, British poet: his books include King Log (1968), Mercian Hymns (1971), The Mystery of the Charity of Charles Péguy (1983), and The Orchards of Syon (2002)
5. HillGraham19291975MBritishSPORT AND GAMES: racing driver Graham. 1929–75, British motor-racing driver: world champion (1962, 1968)
6. HillOctavia18381912FBritishPOLITICS: housing reformer Octavia. 1838–1912, British housing reformer; a founder of the National Trust
7. HillSir Rowland17951879MBritishMISC: originator of penny postage Sir Rowland. 1795–1879, British originator of the penny postage
8. HillSusan (Elizabeth)1942FBritishWRITING: novelistWRITING: short-story writer Susan ( Elizabeth ). born 1942, British novelist and writer of short stories: her books include I'm the King of the Castle (1970) The Woman in Black (1983), and Felix Derby (2002)

Derived Forms

• ˈhilly, adjective
• ˈhiller, noun

Other Words From

• hiller noun
• under·hill noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hill¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hyll; cognate with Middle Dutch hille, Latin collis hill; compare Latin culmen top, peak ( column, culminate ), celsus lofty, very high, Gothic hallus rock, Lithuanian kálnas mountain, Greek kolōnós hill, kolophṓn summit ( colophon )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hill¹

Old English hyll; related to Old Frisian holla head, Latin collis hill, Low German hull hill

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go over the hill, Slang.
   1. to break out of prison.
   2. to absent oneself without leave from one's military unit.
   3. to leave suddenly or mysteriously:

      Rumor has it that her husband has gone over the hill.

2. over the hill,
   1. relatively advanced in age.
   2. past one's prime.

More idioms and phrases containing hill

see downhill all the way ; go downhill ; head for (the hills) ; make a mountain out of a molehill ; not worth a dime (hill of beans) ; old as Adam (the hills) ; over the hill .

Example Sentences

Many of the lemon trees remain, as if untouched; others were wiped out completely, the hills where they stood blackened and desiccated.

From Los Angeles Times

As we ascend up the lift hill, we do so with twirling, bright lights, which feature just a dash of twilight hues.

From Los Angeles Times

Some would visit Tanton, joining him on long walks in the wooded hills above the Lake Michigan shoreline and talking for hours.

From Salon

The hills of northern Scotland will see regular snow showers with the potential for some localised disruption where it settles.

From BBC

He was thrown from the vehicle, then run over by it as he tried to stop it from rolling down a hill toward his nephew.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bluff
• cliff
• dune
• highland
• hillside
• hilltop
• ridge
• slope