sick

¹

[ sik ]

adjective

, sick·er, sick·est.

1. affected with ill health, disease, or illness; ailing:

   She was sick with the flu for two weeks.

   Synonyms: indisposed, infirm

   Antonyms: healthy, hale, well

2. affected with nausea; inclined to vomit:

   If you feel sick, take a few deep breaths and wait for the feeling to pass.

   Synonyms: nauseated, nauseous

3. deeply affected with some unpleasant feeling, as of sorrow, disgust, or boredom:

   The suffering and torments of the wounded make me sick at heart.

   I never thought it would happen, but after two years of college I'm sick of parties.

4. mentally, morally, or emotionally deranged, corrupt, or unsound:

   Only someone with a sick mind would suggest such an immoral scheme.

   He made wild statements that made him seem sick.

5. dwelling on or obsessed with that which is gruesome, sadistic, ghoulish, or the like; morbid: sick jokes.

   a sick comedian;

   sick jokes.

6. of, relating to, or for use during ill health:

   He applied for sick benefits.

7. accompanied by or suggestive of ill health; sickly:

   a sick pallor;

   the sick smell of disinfectant in the corridors.

8. disgusted; chagrined:

   Such blatant hypocrisy makes me sick.

9. not in proper condition; impaired:

   My car is sick and I'm afraid it's going to cost a lot of money to repair.

10. Slang. great; amazing:

    The plot is boring but the special effects are sick!

11. Agriculture.
    1. failing to sustain adequate harvests of some crop, usually specified:

       a wheat-sick soil.

    2. containing harmful microorganisms:

       a sick field.

12. Now Rare: Sometimes Offensive. menstruating.

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. people in ill health collectively:

   We have a duty of care toward the sick.

sick

²

[ sik ]

verb (used with object)

1. sic ¹.

sick

¹

/ sɪk /

adjective

1. inclined or likely to vomit
2. 1. suffering from ill health
   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the sick

3. 1. of, relating to, or used by people who are unwell

      sick benefits

   2. ( in combination )

      sickroom

4. deeply affected with a mental or spiritual feeling akin to physical sickness

   sick at heart

5. mentally, psychologically, or spiritually disturbed
6. informal.
   delighting in or catering for the macabre or sadistic; morbid

   sick humour

7. informal.
   Alsosick and tired often foll by of disgusted or weary, esp because satiated

   I am sick of his everlasting laughter

8. often foll by for weary with longing; pining

   I am sick for my own country

9. pallid or sickly
10. not in working order
11. (of land) unfit for the adequate production of certain crops
12. look sick slang.
    to be outclassed

noun

1. an informal word for vomit

sick

²

/ sɪk /

verb

1. a variant spelling of sic 2

Derived Forms

• ˈsickish, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sick¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sek, sik, Old English sēoc; cognate with Dutch ziek, German siech, Old Norse sjūkr, Gothic siuks

Word History and Origins

Origin of sick¹

Old English sēoc; related to Old Norse skjūkr, Gothic siuks, Old High German sioh

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. call in sick, to notify one's place of employment that one will be absent from work because of illness:

   I'd rather not call in sick tomorrow, but I'm not sure I can drive like this.

2. sick and tired, utterly weary; fed up:

   I'm sick and tired of working so hard!

3. sick at one's stomach, Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. nauseated.
4. sick to one's stomach, Chiefly Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S. nauseated.
5. sick as a dog. dog ( def 28 ).

More idioms and phrases containing sick

• call in sick
• get sick
• make one sick
• worried sick

Synonym Study

See ill.

Example Sentences

We don’t want to see our clients get sick or die in prison, totally cut off from their loved ones.

From Voice of San Diego

Many students worry about family or friends who may get sick, Sana notes.

From Science News For Students

She said that it’s too early to determine the sick participant’s specific diagnosis.

From Fortune

That, in turn, cuts the risk someone will encounter enough virus to make them sick.

From Science News For Students

And, he said, the tests can act as an early warning system by alerting officials that people in a community like a dorm are infected a week before they might become sick enough to seek tests on their own.

From Voice of San Diego

And not just sick in the body but in your mind, because you start obsessing.

From The Daily Beast

I was sick in street gutters, onto my desk, at dinners with friends.

From The Daily Beast

We are the sick ones who torment trans people every day of their lives.

From The Daily Beast

Is there any chance the potential 2016 hopeful will stand up to the right and embrace paid sick leave?

From The Daily Beast

It happens, of course, but the less time a person is sick, the better their chances of recovery.

From The Daily Beast

The Duchess had also a tent for their sick men; so that we had a small town of our own here, and every body employed.

From Project Gutenberg

I suppose he is sick of the sound of them, or perhaps it is because he feels obliged to be conscientious in teaching Beethoven!

From Project Gutenberg

After the battle of the Pyramids he fell sick, and before the Syrian expedition, applied to return to France.

From Project Gutenberg

So we placed some of these holy relics upon the sick man, at the same time offering our vows for him, and then he improved.

From Project Gutenberg

One was to the deanship, of Santiago de Castro, a sick man who has not left his house for more than three years.

From Project Gutenberg