The difference between sick and ill [duplicate]












4
















This question already has an answer here:




  • Is there any difference between being ill and sick?

    7 answers




I feel ill or sick. Both mean the same. But when they modify a noun, do they mean the same? For example,



Sentence A: He is a sick person.



Sentence B: He is an ill person.



Do they mean the same?



I want to know the difference because 'ill' can mean 'bad' in some senses.










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marked as duplicate by ColleenV 4 mins ago


This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.




















    4
















    This question already has an answer here:




    • Is there any difference between being ill and sick?

      7 answers




    I feel ill or sick. Both mean the same. But when they modify a noun, do they mean the same? For example,



    Sentence A: He is a sick person.



    Sentence B: He is an ill person.



    Do they mean the same?



    I want to know the difference because 'ill' can mean 'bad' in some senses.










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.











    marked as duplicate by ColleenV 4 mins ago


    This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.


















      4












      4








      4









      This question already has an answer here:




      • Is there any difference between being ill and sick?

        7 answers




      I feel ill or sick. Both mean the same. But when they modify a noun, do they mean the same? For example,



      Sentence A: He is a sick person.



      Sentence B: He is an ill person.



      Do they mean the same?



      I want to know the difference because 'ill' can mean 'bad' in some senses.










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.













      This question already has an answer here:




      • Is there any difference between being ill and sick?

        7 answers




      I feel ill or sick. Both mean the same. But when they modify a noun, do they mean the same? For example,



      Sentence A: He is a sick person.



      Sentence B: He is an ill person.



      Do they mean the same?



      I want to know the difference because 'ill' can mean 'bad' in some senses.





      This question already has an answer here:




      • Is there any difference between being ill and sick?

        7 answers








      usage






      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question






      New contributor




      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      asked 7 hours ago









      Little PapaLittle Papa

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      234




      New contributor




      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.





      New contributor





      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






      Little Papa is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.




      marked as duplicate by ColleenV 4 mins ago


      This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.






      marked as duplicate by ColleenV 4 mins ago


      This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
























          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          7














          As you've already said, ill can mean bad in some senses. But so can sick. In fact, sick is the more common word if you want to describe somebody in the bad sense. (However, sick can also be used as a slang term for cool or awesome.)



          Context determines the meaning:




          That serial killer is one sick individual.

          Ill intentions often result in ill deeds.






          If you mean physically unwell, neither of your sentences would be normal. By adding person, you are implying the bad sense.



          The best way to describe someone who is unwell, and have it be interpreted as you want, is to add the word feeling:




          He is feeling sick.

          He is feeling ill.




          Or:




          He isn't feeling well.




          It's also common to say (in informal dialogue):




          "He isn't feeling good."






          In terms of describing being physically unwell, sick and ill are mostly used interchangeably.



          But per Google Books NGram Viewer, sick seems to be the more common of the two words.



          ill or well






          share|improve this answer
























          • Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

            – user45266
            6 hours ago













          • Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

            – Little Papa
            6 hours ago






          • 2





            In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

            – Michael Harvey
            3 hours ago








          • 2





            It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

            – gidds
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

            – David Richerby
            41 mins ago


















          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes








          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          7














          As you've already said, ill can mean bad in some senses. But so can sick. In fact, sick is the more common word if you want to describe somebody in the bad sense. (However, sick can also be used as a slang term for cool or awesome.)



          Context determines the meaning:




          That serial killer is one sick individual.

          Ill intentions often result in ill deeds.






          If you mean physically unwell, neither of your sentences would be normal. By adding person, you are implying the bad sense.



          The best way to describe someone who is unwell, and have it be interpreted as you want, is to add the word feeling:




          He is feeling sick.

          He is feeling ill.




          Or:




          He isn't feeling well.




          It's also common to say (in informal dialogue):




          "He isn't feeling good."






          In terms of describing being physically unwell, sick and ill are mostly used interchangeably.



          But per Google Books NGram Viewer, sick seems to be the more common of the two words.



          ill or well






          share|improve this answer
























          • Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

            – user45266
            6 hours ago













          • Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

            – Little Papa
            6 hours ago






          • 2





            In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

            – Michael Harvey
            3 hours ago








          • 2





            It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

            – gidds
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

            – David Richerby
            41 mins ago
















          7














          As you've already said, ill can mean bad in some senses. But so can sick. In fact, sick is the more common word if you want to describe somebody in the bad sense. (However, sick can also be used as a slang term for cool or awesome.)



          Context determines the meaning:




          That serial killer is one sick individual.

          Ill intentions often result in ill deeds.






          If you mean physically unwell, neither of your sentences would be normal. By adding person, you are implying the bad sense.



          The best way to describe someone who is unwell, and have it be interpreted as you want, is to add the word feeling:




          He is feeling sick.

          He is feeling ill.




          Or:




          He isn't feeling well.




          It's also common to say (in informal dialogue):




          "He isn't feeling good."






          In terms of describing being physically unwell, sick and ill are mostly used interchangeably.



          But per Google Books NGram Viewer, sick seems to be the more common of the two words.



          ill or well






          share|improve this answer
























          • Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

            – user45266
            6 hours ago













          • Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

            – Little Papa
            6 hours ago






          • 2





            In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

            – Michael Harvey
            3 hours ago








          • 2





            It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

            – gidds
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

            – David Richerby
            41 mins ago














          7












          7








          7







          As you've already said, ill can mean bad in some senses. But so can sick. In fact, sick is the more common word if you want to describe somebody in the bad sense. (However, sick can also be used as a slang term for cool or awesome.)



          Context determines the meaning:




          That serial killer is one sick individual.

          Ill intentions often result in ill deeds.






          If you mean physically unwell, neither of your sentences would be normal. By adding person, you are implying the bad sense.



          The best way to describe someone who is unwell, and have it be interpreted as you want, is to add the word feeling:




          He is feeling sick.

          He is feeling ill.




          Or:




          He isn't feeling well.




          It's also common to say (in informal dialogue):




          "He isn't feeling good."






          In terms of describing being physically unwell, sick and ill are mostly used interchangeably.



          But per Google Books NGram Viewer, sick seems to be the more common of the two words.



          ill or well






          share|improve this answer













          As you've already said, ill can mean bad in some senses. But so can sick. In fact, sick is the more common word if you want to describe somebody in the bad sense. (However, sick can also be used as a slang term for cool or awesome.)



          Context determines the meaning:




          That serial killer is one sick individual.

          Ill intentions often result in ill deeds.






          If you mean physically unwell, neither of your sentences would be normal. By adding person, you are implying the bad sense.



          The best way to describe someone who is unwell, and have it be interpreted as you want, is to add the word feeling:




          He is feeling sick.

          He is feeling ill.




          Or:




          He isn't feeling well.




          It's also common to say (in informal dialogue):




          "He isn't feeling good."






          In terms of describing being physically unwell, sick and ill are mostly used interchangeably.



          But per Google Books NGram Viewer, sick seems to be the more common of the two words.



          ill or well







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 7 hours ago









          Jason BassfordJason Bassford

          13.6k22035




          13.6k22035













          • Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

            – user45266
            6 hours ago













          • Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

            – Little Papa
            6 hours ago






          • 2





            In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

            – Michael Harvey
            3 hours ago








          • 2





            It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

            – gidds
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

            – David Richerby
            41 mins ago



















          • Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

            – user45266
            6 hours ago













          • Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

            – Little Papa
            6 hours ago






          • 2





            In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

            – Michael Harvey
            3 hours ago








          • 2





            It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

            – gidds
            2 hours ago






          • 1





            Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

            – David Richerby
            41 mins ago

















          Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

          – user45266
          6 hours ago







          Also, in a slang context, I've heard "ill" as a more positive adjective (Beastie Boys song "Time to Get Ill"). "Sick" can be used in the same way.

          – user45266
          6 hours ago















          Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

          – Little Papa
          6 hours ago





          Thank you very much, @Jason Bassford. I can now understand from your explanation that the meaning has to be deduced from context rather than words themselves.

          – Little Papa
          6 hours ago




          2




          2





          In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

          – Michael Harvey
          3 hours ago







          In British English, to 'be sick' commonly means to vomit, and what is produced can be called 'sick' (mass noun). Child: what's for dinner, Daddy? Father, jocularly: a cup of cold sick!

          – Michael Harvey
          3 hours ago






          2




          2





          It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

          – gidds
          2 hours ago





          It's even more confusing than that: ‘to feel ill’ and ‘to feel sick’ can both refer either to general illness or to nausea, too. Similarly, some people use ‘to be ill’ to refer to vomiting, in the same way I'd say ‘to be sick’. So there's a shedload of ambiguity there.

          – gidds
          2 hours ago




          1




          1





          Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

          – David Richerby
          41 mins ago





          Although "ill" can mean bad in some situations (such as your examples), I think it's important to note that "He is ill" unambiguously means "He is not healthy".

          – David Richerby
          41 mins ago



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